It will be all the buzz in the coming weeks. The emergence of the 13-year periodical cicadas is expected in South Carolina this spring and summer and if their plump bodies, veined wings, or big orange eyes don’t get your attention, their love songs will.
South Carolina Forestry Commission entomologist Laurie Reid says (mainly upstate) South Carolina residents will begin hearing the insects again for the first time since 1998. The 13-year reproduction cycle requires them to emerge from the ground, shed their skins, and find a mate — in precisely that order.
And they will be hard to ignore.
“The buzzing sound that will be ubiquitous everywhere these insects emerge is actually the males’ mating call,” says Reid, who has a special page on the Forestry Commission’s website explaining what’s going on and why. “They’ve spent 13 years living underground happily munching away on roots, but now it’s time for some noisy fun in the sun.”
Under one tree, there can be as many as 20,000-30,000 emerging nymphs. But the insects will not pose a threat to South Carolina’s 13.1 million acres of forestland. Neither the bugs nor the skins they leave behind on the bark will impact timber production or value. That’s good news for landowners as more than 88 percent of the state’s forests are privately owned.
Still, the Forestry Commission wants to keep up with the little beasts. Reid is asking “citizen scientists” to record their experiences with the 13-year cicadas by logging in some data at http://www.trees.sc.gov/idcicada.htm. Here’s what she needs:
· your location (city and county)
· the date that you first (or last) heard or saw the cicadas
· any egg-laying damage you’ve seen
· and any other information you think may be helpful
“Temperature is the factor determining when they’ll appear in your area,” Reid says. “In areas where there’s been a steady ground temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit for a couple of weeks, they’ll be alerted that the air above is warm enough to support their emergence and enhance their courting.”
It may be mid-April before we see them. Reid says there are more than 75 species of shrubs and trees onto which the female may lay eggs. The preferred trees are the hardwoods, oak, hickory, apple, and sweetgum. Momma cicada may also lay eggs on dogwood, blueberry, and azaleas.
Each female periodical cicada can lay up to 600 eggs in her lifetime. The egg laying take a toll on the branches. It often causes the leaves on some branches to turn color and perhaps drop to the ground. However, this will not cause any long-term health issues for mature trees. They are also harmless to people and pets, even if Rover eats one.
“After six to seven weeks, the nymphs will hatch from the eggs, drop to the ground, and burrow down to the plant roots where the cycle starts again,” Reid explained. “We won’t hear from them again until the year 2024!”
