When Will Brood X Cicadas Emerge In NJ? Temps May Play A Role

NEW JERSEY — As waves of "Brood X" cicadas emerge this spring after 17 years underground, chances are they’ll arrive earlier than their parents. And temperatures may play a big role in when New Jersey – and other nearby states – can expect to see them, a study says.

Climate Central, an independent organization of scientists and journalists, recently released an analysis about the fascinating natural phenomenon. Learn more about the study and its methodology here. See localized data here.

Their conclusion? Warmer temperatures mean this year’s Brood X specimens may emerge as much as a month earlier than past generations, including in the Garden State.

“Because ground temperature provides an important cue for cicadas' emergence, and spring temperatures have trended higher since the great-great-grandparents of this year’s Brood X cicadas emerged in 1970, that cue is likely to arrive sooner,” researchers said.

Researchers shared data for the northern and southern parts of New Jersey (see charts in gallery above).

In Atlantic City, cicadas are emerging up to eight days earlier in 2020 as compared to 1970. And in Newark, they’re emerging up to 15 days earlier, the study said.

According to Climate Central:

“Cicadas typically emerge in force when ground temperatures reach approximately 64°F degrees, often after a steady rain. Some places with Brood X cicada concentrations have already reached that temperature threshold. The 10-day average temperature across the Brood X region is running 8 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than at this time in 1970, and 1.1 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than in 2004.”

The synchronized emergence of Magicicada cassinii, as this cicada brood is scientifically known, is a true marvel of nature. The species' extraordinarily long life cycle — the longest of any insect on the planet — is part of an evolutionary strategy that has allowed the cicada to survive for 1.8 million years, or from the Pleistocene Epoch, according to a CBS News report.

Experts say that Brood X, or Great Eastern Brood cicadas, are expected to number in the billions throughout the region.

• See related article: Billions Of Brood X Cicadas Will Emerge In NJ In 2021
• See related article: You Can Eat 17-Year Cicadas Emerging In New Jersey

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