Periodical Cicada

About the Periodical Cicada

Famous for their 13 or 17-year life cycles - the longest of any insect. Brood X, the largest, emerged in billions in 2021 across 15 US states. Their emergence is synchronized to overwhelm predators through sheer numbers. They spend 99.5% of their lives underground as nymphs. Males produce sound at 90-100 dB - the loudest insect sound. The collective chorus can reach 100 dB, comparable to a chainsaw. Scientists believe prime-number cycles evolved to avoid synchronizing with predator population cycles.