Periodical Cicadas to Soon Quiet Down on Cape Cod
The sounds of Brood XIV cicadas across the Upper Cape will soon be going away. The periodical cicadas, known for their distinctive loud buzz, return every 17 years to the…
PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS – MAY 29: Shells left behind by cicada nymphs from an emerging 17-year cicada brood remain in a tree after being shedded on May 29, 2024 in Park Ridge, Illinois. Illinois is currently experiencing an emergence of cicadas from Brood XIII and Brood XIX simultaneously. This rare occurrence hasn’t taken place since 1803. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The sounds of Brood XIV cicadas across the Upper Cape will soon be going away.
The periodical cicadas, known for their distinctive loud buzz, return every 17 years to the area, mainly around the Cape Cod Canal region. The buzzing sound they produce can reach volumes as loud as a lawnmower.
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources officials stated in a CapeCod.com report that the cicadas' mating period lasts approximately four weeks, and most will be gone by the beginning of July.
While the cicadas don't pose any threats to humans or pets, they can damage young trees. Barnstable County officials advise people to cover newly planted trees with a mesh containing gaps no bigger than one centimeter to keep the cicadas at bay.
Once the cicadas finish laying their eggs in mid-summer, nymphs will hatch just before fall to drop to the ground. The cicadas then tunnel underground, where they spend the next 17 years of their lives before re-emerging above ground again.
Even though the cicadas can be loud and annoying, they can benefit the environment, according to a CapeCod.gov report:
- They serve as food for birds, fish, and other wildlife.
- Their bodies enrich the soil when they die and decompose.
- They help forests grow through the natural pruning of trees.
