Five myths about periodic cicada emergence

Brood II cicadas dangle from a Virginia tree in 2013. Photo for The Washington Post by Amanda Voisard

After spending 17 years underground, billions of cicadas soon will emerge to sing, mate, lay eggs and die. Americans on the East Coast will have the rare opportunity to witness this dramatic natural spectacle. But as these magnificent insects begin to surface, so does misinformation about them.Soon, young cicadas, known as nymphs, will crawl up trees, bushes, fences and houses, looking for a place to molt. The adults will fill the air in neighborhoods far and wide.

Cicadas are not locusts, a common name given to several species of grasshoppers that tend to form highly mobile feeding aggregations. Locusts are insects in the order Orthoptera, which includes katydids and crickets. Cicadas are part of the order Hemiptera, or true bugs, and are more closely related to aphids and leafhoppers. Unlike locusts, periodical cicadas do not feed on crops, and they do not migrate.

Homeowners cannot suppress cicada populations by applying pesticides. That tact probably would kill countless other insects while introducing potentially harmful chemicals into the environment. Buying netting to protect nonwoody vegetables and flowers will line the pockets of the suppliers but it is unnecessary.The Internet recently has been captivated by the idea that the cicada emergence will increase the risk of attacks from venomous snakes.

Cicadas Locust Locusts Emergence Nymphs Copperhead Plants Plant Species Tree Invasion Insect Surface Soil Chambers Chamber People Adncom Fact Washington University Evidence Environment Risk

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