Understanding Cicadas: The 2024 Brood Emergence and How to Manage Them in Your Backyard

I remember the last major cicada emergence in my area. The air hummed like a high-voltage wire, and the ground looked like it was moving. My dog was utterly confused. For many, the 2024 periodical cicada brood emergence—a double event where two massive broods (XIII and XIX) surface together—is causing equal parts fascination and anxiety. This isn't just a few bugs. We're talking about potentially trillions of insects across parts of the Midwest and Southeast. If you're wondering what this means for your trees, your peace and quiet, and your sanity, you're in the right place. Let's cut through the noise and get to the practical facts.

What You'll Find in This Guide

The Science Behind the 2024 Cicada Swarm
Spot the Difference: Periodical vs. Annual Cicadas
How Cicadas Actually Affect Your Backyard
How to Protect Young Trees (The Right Way)
Managing the Cicada Noise and Cleanup
Your Top Cicada Questions Answered

The Science Behind the 2024 Cicada Swarm

First, let's clear something up. The cicadas emerging in 2024 are periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.). They've spent the last 13 or 17 years underground as nymphs, sucking sap from tree roots. Their emergence is triggered by soil temperature hitting precisely 64°F (18°C) at a depth of 8 inches. It's one of nature's most precise clocks. cicadas 2024

This year is special. Brood XIII (17-year) and Brood XIX (13-year) are emerging simultaneously in some adjacent areas, primarily in Illinois. This overlap last happened in 1803. The map from the USDA Agricultural Research Service shows the projected zones. Don't panic if you're not in the overlap zone; you might still see one brood or the other, or just your usual annual "dog-day" cicadas.

The Cicada Lifecycle in a Nutshell: Eggs hatch in tree twigs → Nymphs fall to ground and burrow → They live on root sap for 13/17 years → Nymphs emerge, climb, and molt into adults → Adults sing, mate, lay eggs → Adults die in 4-6 weeks → Cycle repeats.

The sheer number is a survival strategy called predator satiation. There are simply too many for birds, squirrels, and other predators to eat, ensuring enough survive to reproduce. It's messy, loud, and incredibly effective.

Spot the Difference: Periodical vs. Annual Cicadas

Not every loud bug you hear this summer is part of the big brood. Mistaking them leads to unnecessary worry. Here’s how to tell them apart at a glance.

Feature	Periodical Cicadas (2024 Broods)	Annual "Dog-Day" Cicadas
Emergence Cycle	Synchronized, massive swarms every 13 or 17 years.	Individuals emerge every summer, no massive swarm.
Coloration	Distinct black bodies with bold red eyes and orange wing veins. Striking look.	Mostly green and black, with darker eyes. More camouflaged.
Size	Smaller, about 1 to 1.5 inches long.	Generally larger, often over 2 inches.
Sound & Behavior	Extremely loud, chorusing males. Clusters on trees and shrubs. Not shy.	Loud but more sporadic buzzing/hissing. Often higher in trees, less clustered.
Primary Concern	Egg-laying damage to young tree twigs. Overwhelming numbers.	Minimal. Occasional "flagging" on branches from egg-laying.

If you see the black and red bugs in huge numbers, you're in a brood zone. The green ones are just your normal summer background singers. periodical cicadas

How Cicadas Actually Affect Your Backyard

The impact is real, but it's also specific. They're not like locusts that eat crops. They don't bite, sting, or carry disease. The main issues are botanical and sensory.

1. The Real Threat to Trees

Female cicadas have a saw-like organ called an ovipositor. They use it to slit into pencil-sized twigs (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch diameter) to lay eggs. This causes the twig tip to die, a symptom called "flagging." For a mature, healthy tree, this is a natural pruning. It might look ugly for a season, but the tree rebounds easily.

The problem is with young trees.

Saplings planted in the last 3-5 years have a high proportion of branches in that vulnerable size range. Severe flagging can stunt or even kill a young tree. I lost a prized Japanese maple sapling during the last emergence because I didn't act fast enough. My mistake was thinking netting was overkill. how to get rid of cicadas

2. The Noise and The Mess

The chorus can reach 90-100 decibels—as loud as a motorcycle. It's constant during the day. Some people find it fascinating, others find it utterly grating. Then, after 4-6 weeks, the adults die. You'll have piles of bodies on sidewalks, driveways, and patios. As they decompose, there's a distinct odor. It's not dangerous, but it's unpleasant.

A Common Misconception: Many websites claim cicadas cause significant damage to gardens or crops. This is largely false. They don't eat leaves, vegetables, or flowers. The root-feeding nymphs are too deep to harm most garden plants. Your tomatoes are safe.

How to Protect Young Trees (The Right Way)

Protection is simple, physical, and must be timed correctly. Forget insecticides. Spraying for cicadas is widely considered ineffective and ecologically irresponsible. You'd need to drench the tree constantly to kill insects that only feed minimally. You'll cause more harm to pollinators and beneficial insects than to the cicada swarm. cicadas 2024

Here’s the proven method:

Material: Use fine mesh netting with holes smaller than 1/4 inch. Bird netting often works, but cicada-specific netting is better. Avoid using landscape fabric or solid plastic, as it can overheat the tree.
Timing: Install the netting before you see nymphs emerging. Once they start climbing, it's too late. Watch for soil temperature reports in your local news in late spring.
Technique: Drape the netting over the entire small tree or shrub. Gather it loosely around the trunk and secure it tightly with twine or a zip tie below the lowest branches. This prevents cicadas from crawling up the trunk from the ground. Ensure no branches are pressed against the netting, or females will lay eggs through it.
Duration: Keep the netting on for the entire adult activity period, typically from mid-May through late June in most affected areas. Remove it once the cicadas are gone to allow normal growth and light penetration.

For trees too large to net, focus on protecting a few key lower branches. The flagging will be cosmetic.

Managing the Cicada Noise and Cleanup

You can't silence a billion insects, but you can adapt.

For the noise, if you work from home or have outdoor gatherings, consider shifting activities to early morning or evening when the males are less active. White noise machines or fans on patios can help mask the sound. Honestly, earplugs aren't a bad idea for sensitive individuals trying to sleep with the window open. periodical cicadas

The cleanup is straightforward but important. Don't let large piles of dead cicadas sit on lawns or against tree trunks. Use a rake or a leaf blower (on a gentle setting) to gather them. They are fantastic compost material, rich in nitrogen. Toss them in your compost bin, or till them lightly into garden beds. If that's not your style, bag them for municipal yard waste pickup. A shop vac can handle patios and driveways.

Here's a tip most guides miss: the empty brown nymphal shells (exoskeletons) cling everywhere. They're brittle and harmless. A strong spray from a garden hose will knock most of them off your house siding and fences. how to get rid of cicadas

Your Top Cicada Questions Answered

Will cicadas harm my mature trees or shrubs?

For established trees, the damage is almost always cosmetic. The "flagging" or browning of small twig tips is a natural pruning. Healthy trees will quickly compartmentalize the damage and put out new growth. I've seen 50-year-old oaks get covered in cicadas and show no lasting ill effects by mid-July. The only exceptions might be very old, already stressed trees. Focus your energy on protecting new plantings.

My pet keeps eating cicadas. Is this dangerous?

Dogs and cats find them intriguing. The shells are crunchy. In most cases, a few cicadas won't hurt. The exoskeleton is chitin, which is hard to digest and may cause mild gastrointestinal upset—vomiting or diarrhea—if eaten in large quantities. The bigger risk is the potential for an intestinal blockage if your pet gorges on dozens of them. Monitor your pet outside and discourage feasting. The cicadas themselves are not toxic.

Can I use a pesticide spray just around my property line to keep them out?

This is a complete waste of money and effort. Periodical cicadas don't respect property lines. They fly in from everywhere. Any you kill will be instantly replaced. Broad-spectrum insecticides will devastate local bee, butterfly, and beneficial insect populations for months. University extensions, like those from University of Illinois Extension, consistently advise against chemical controls for periodical cicadas. Physical exclusion (netting) is the only effective, targeted strategy.

The dead cicadas smell terrible. How do I get rid of the odor?

The smell comes from decomposition bacteria. Prompt cleanup is key. Rake or blow bodies away from sitting areas. If odor persists on a patio or deck, a dilute vinegar and water solution (1 part vinegar to 10 parts water) can help neutralize smells after you've cleared the bulk of the insects. Avoid strong chemical deodorizers outdoors, as they can harm plants.

Are there any benefits to having cicadas around?

Absolutely. They are a massive, free fertilizer drop. Their bodies recycle nutrients back into the soil. They aerate the soil as nymphs emerge. They provide a feast for birds, mammals, and even fish (anglers often use them as bait). This resource pulse can boost local wildlife populations for a year or two. Ecologists view these emergences as critical, healthy events for forest ecosystems.

Look, the cicada emergence is overwhelming. It's loud, it's messy, and it feels a bit apocalyptic. But it's also a temporary, incredible natural phenomenon. A few weeks of netting on your young trees and some adapted outdoor plans are a small price to pay for a front-row seat to one of the insect world's greatest shows. Embrace the weirdness, protect what matters, and know it will all be over by July.