Entomologists are expecting a healthy number of cicadas this spring in Northern Virginia, but next spring’s emergence (in 2021) will be one for the record books.
A number of news reports are predicting a lot of cicadas in Virginia — but the large brood emerging this spring will be in West Virginia, Southwest Virginia and North Carolina, not around here. This spring will be “typical” for cicadas in the Alexandria area, meaning we’ll see (and hear) some but they won’t be everywhere.
2021 is when Brood 10, the infamous 17-year cicadas, are expected to arrive here in the Alexandria area.
“We’re going to be the epicenter of emergence that ranges from Georgia to New England, and there will simply be trillions of cicadas emerging,” Mike Raupp, a University of Maryland, College Park entomologist, told WTOP. Raupp suggests waiting until after next spring to plant new trees and bushes, which will be vulnerable to the 2021 cicadas.
Brood 10 last emerged in the D.C. metro area in 2004.
Cicadas, while loud and crunchy and scary (to some because they're quite large), are mostly harmless to humans. In fact, a variety of restaurants have come out with cicada-based dishes. Cicadas are high in protein, glucose-free and low fat. (Here are a few recipes for the brave.)
Pet owners should try to prevent dogs from eating the bugs or the carcasses, as they can cause stomach upset.
