The emergence of the periodic cicada “Brood X”, which covers the ground in trillions of animals, begins – GIGAZINE

A large number of “” that occur every 17 or 13 yearsPeriodic cicadaBut in 2021It’s time to emerge.. Frequently asked questions about this periodic cicada, which is expected to produce billions of trillions of animals.National Park Service, United StatesOpen to the public.

Brood X Periodic Cicadas Frequently Asked Questions (US National Park Service)
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/cicadas-brood-x.htm

Periodic cicadas are insects belonging to the order Hemiptera, and there are a total of 7 species, mainly inhabiting the Midwest and East Coast of the United States. The herds of periodic cicadas are called “broods” every year, and each blur has a Roman numeral. The group named “Brood X” will be in 2021, the largest group of periodic cicadas. Brood X is a periodic cicada that lives in three regions: Pennsylvania, Northern Virginia, Indiana, and East Tennessee.

The body of the periodic cicada is characterized by a reddish orange color. The green cicada is a common species that appears every year, so it is easy to identify them.

Summarize cicada sightingsCicadas.infoAccording to the map below, each brood’s habitat and year of occurrence.

The National Park Service of the United States states that the timing of the outbreak depends on the weather, but it appears that the time of emergence will be “the time when the ground temperature reaches 64 ° F (17.8 ° C)”. .. It has been reported that the emergence of Brood X has already begun in part, but “I think it will emerge from the first week of May to the second week of May and end its life by the end of June,” “Said the National Park Service. United States Park Service Notes. Also, since normal cicadas hatch every year from June to August, it can be said that Brood X emerges quite quickly.

Regarding the reason why there are large numbers of periodic cicadas with long cycles, such as 17 years and 13 years, the United States National Park Service stated, “There are many hunters who eat cicadas, but there are a large number of periodic cicadas that are There are more than they can eat enough. In other words, periodic cicadas have emerged as a survival strategy in large numbers, outstripping the seeds. “Periodically cicada-eating organisms include birds, raccoons, Possums, foxes, cunning, frogs, toads, turtles, fish and Masospora cicad are included.

Masospora cicad is a bacterium that enhances “zombie cicadas” that intercourse with living cicadas and spread the infection, destroying the stomach of infected cicadas.

Fungus “Masospora Cicad” like horror movie which increases the zombie semi while destroying the body of the host –GIGAZINE

After 17 years in the ground, brood X larvae emerge in the ground and emerge when they are adults. Brood X, which has gone underground, stays on the ground for about a month and dies after mating. The female brood X lays around 500 eggs, and the eggs hatch in about 6 weeks. Hatched larvae go underground and reappear on the ground, emerging 17 years later.

In the periodic cicada, the male first comes to the ground and vibrates from the eardrum near the base of the wing, trying to attract the female. On the other hand, females click with their wings to indicate a desire to orgasm. Periodic cicadas are said to make the loudest sound in the world of insects, singing different songs for each species. Entomologists believe that the reason for the loud sound of cicadas from time to time is to “hurt the ears of predators and protect themselves.”

Some periodic cicadas occur every 13 years, but the number of individuals is much lower than in the 17-year cycle. There are also cicadas with a 21-year cycle. In addition, 12 types of 17-year periodic cicadas and 3 types of 13-year periodic cicadas have been confirmed.

Regarding the environmental impact of periodic cicadas outbreaks, the United States National Park Service stated, “Women lay eggs on the branches of young trees, which can harm young trees. Therefore, the spring of 2021 is a young tree. It Not the right time. To plant a tree. If you’re planting a young tree in 2021. Autumn is a good time. If you’re planting in the spring, it’s best to avoid it. “

On the other hand, outbreaks of periodic cicadas are a feast for living things, and research has shown that larger individuals have been confirmed among some birds in the year when periodic cicadas appear. A large number of corpses of periodic cicadas also provide soil nutrition.

Periodic cicadas are a native species of the United States, have no risk of chewing or stinging, and are not toxic to pets. However, in case of shellfish allergy, eating cicada may cause semi-allergy.