So, will Vermont see any of the Brood X Cicadas that have started to emerge across the United States? Brood X or Brood 10 Cicadas are waking up this month after a 17-year hiatus.
Are there Brood X Cicadas in Vermont?
Cicadas emerge on regular cycles of either 13 or 17 years as the weather warms up in the spring. During this time, they stay underground until it's time for them to emerge once again.
So, every 17 years, the Great Eastern Brood species of cicadas come up from under the ground to molt their skin and turn into adults.
And, 2021 marks the 17th year in the Brood X Cicadas life cycle. Will Vermont be seeing them?
Will Vermont see Brood X?
According to the website Cicada Mania, Brood X will not be appearing in New England or in Vermont at all. However, some people in Southern New York and Long Island have reported sightings of these insects emerging from the ground.
Are there any cicadas in Vermont?
Yes, Vermont and New Hampshire both do have cicada species in Vermont. However, the species that we have this far north are solitary and do not join together in a massive swarm the way Brood X has been seen to do in places like Washington D.C.
The cicadas we have here in Vermont still make the buzzing sound that Brood X does but it is nowhere near as loud and deafening as is heard when they swarm. Listen for cicadas to buzz in Vermont toward the end of June through the end of July.
Where are the Brood X cicadas?
If Vermonters want to see and hear the Brood X or Brood 10 cicadas, they will need to travel south to do that. Just head toward states like Georgia, Maryland, and New Jersey if you'd like to see them.
Cicadas last emerged in 2004 and they have already been sited emerging from underground in these states.
If you are planning on traveling for vacation this summer and you hope to avoid the Brood X Cicadas, it would be a good idea not to head south. Instead, why not plan a vacation in someplace like Maine? Or head to California or Florida where Brood X will not be appearing.
Why do Cicadas emerge?
Cicadas emerge based on Mother Nature's plans to have them help aerate the soil, prune mature trees, and serve as a nitrogen source for the soil when they die.
Keep in mind that the Brood X Cicadas do not emerge all on the same date. Their emergence is staggered and some will be early or later than the others.
When they emerge, they will live for about 4 to 6 weeks and there can be as many as 1.5 million cicadas per acre at one time. This is especially true in states like Georgia, Indiana, and Maryland. But, sadly you won't see any of them in Vermont.
As the Brood X Cicadas emerge, they will feed and then mate. And, they will start to die off toward the end of June into July. But, that doesn't mean that they are gone completely.
Just because you don't see them doesn't mean that the Cicada nymphs aren't there. They will be hibernating and growing for the next 17 years. You can expect them to next visit us in 2038 which will be after the next 17 year cycle.
Make sure that you plan your next vacation carefully to avoid the Brood X Cicadas. Or, if you're fascinated and want to see them for yourself, just make sure you head south out of Vermont.