Even on an Air Force base tarmac, a cicada landed on the president's neck.
The spectacular emergence of a double brood of cicadas in 2024, with some 1.5 million of the harmless insects emerging per acre in some places, will result in cicadas landing on people's shirts, arms, hair, and...beyond— just as the impressive insects did in 2021. But the bugs have no real interest in people: After 13 or 17 years of munching on roots underground, the periodical broods emerge to hastily mate and lay eggs.
So what's going on? When cicadas emerge, they seek out trees, the places where they often congregate, mate, and ultimately lay eggs on the ends of branches. And to a cicada, trees and people have similarities.
"Cicadas land on people because they strongly resemble trees," explained Eric Day, an entomologist and cicada expert at Virginia Tech. "It's rare to see a cicada on the ground."
SEE ALSO:Bed bug outbreaks are real. Here's what experts want you to know."Insects that utilize trees are strongly attracted to upright dark silhouettes and a human standing on an open area is close enough," added Day. "So cicadas and wood-boring beetles will go right towards any dark upright object."
That's why if you're standing on a flat runway, like President Biden, a cicada may be keen to find you. "You might be the tallest structure out there," mused Day.
"You might be the tallest structure out there."
The latest cicada emergence involves two different periodical broods, which are groups that emerge in 13 or 17 year cycles, that haven't emerged together in over two centuries, since 1803 (Brood XIII and Brood XIX). They're appearing in regions of the Midwest and Southeast, as shown in a map below.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
The sheer number of cicadas that emerge over a short time in spring also likely plays a role in the cicada landings, noted George Hamilton, the chair of the Department of Entomology at Rutgers University. With potentially millions of bugs around, a structure-seeking insect is more likely to find you.
Cicadas are indeed cacophonous as males vigorously vibrate their abdomens to attract mates. But they are no threat to people. And the cicadas' short-lived emergence is a great boon to wildlife.
A U.S. Forest Service map showing the 2024 emergence of cicada broods. The red region shows Brood XIII; the blue shows Brood XIX; and the yellow shows where their emergences overlap. Credit: USDA Forest Service"Birds snatch them up, mammals easily spot them, and insect predators consume their fill," Robert Furey, a behavioral ecologist and entomologist at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, told Mashable in 2020 when a different brood, Brood IX, emerged. "Every predator with a taste for cicada flesh takes advantage of the easy prey."
"It’s an incredibly amazing biological phenomenon."
Tweet may have been deleted
Though human development and urbanization in some places may slash the number of cicadas in some places (the bugs can't bore through pavement), President Biden can probably attest that the emergences are robust.
"It’s an incredibly amazing biological phenomenon," Day told Mashable.
This story originally published during the emergence of Brood X in 2021 and has been updated.
TopicsAnimals
(责任编辑：知識)
Watch MTV's Video Music Awards 2016 livestream
Slack goes down again, prompting anxiety everywhereEarly Apple
Felix the cat just raised £5000 for charity because she's the hero we all needJ.K. Rowling makes 'Harry Potter' joke about Olympics eventTourist survives for month in frozen New Zealand wilderness after partner dies
A tourist from the Czech Republic, whose partner fell to his death, survived a harrowing month in th
...[详细]Cat gets stuck in the most awkward position ever
Anyone with a cat can tell you that although their cat's claws are impressive scratching and hunting
...[详细]Florida hurricane forecast remains uncertain, but trends in state's favor
For days, a war has been raging between two of the premiere computer models used to help predict the
...[详细]We asked linguists if Donald Trump speaks like that on purpose
Donald Trump may do a good "drunk uncle at Thanksgiving" impersonation at his rallies, but amid all
...[详细]Pole vaulter claims his penis is not to blame
Following the cringeworthy moment in which pole vaulter Hiroki Ogita's penis grazed the bar and he f
...[详细]Major earthquake and multiple aftershocks rock central Italy
UPDATE: Aug. 25, 2016, 8:22 a.m. BST 。 Death toll is now at least 247 dead: 190 in Rieti province and
...[详细]Teacher absolutely nails it with new homework policy
The war against homework has begun.。A massive pile of homework after a long day at school is enough
...[详细]Donald Trump's tangled web of Russian influence
Donald Trump has had ties to Russia for decades, but they've thickened as his campaign for the White
...[详细]Xiaomi accused of copying again, this time by Jawbone
Imitation is not always the best form of flattery. 。 SEE ALSO:Xiaomi's MacBook Air clone is called, w
...[详细]MashReads Podcast: What makes a good summer read?
Summer is coming to a close and that means one thing -- last-minute vacations! 。SEE ALSO:'Ice Cream B
...[详细]Make money or go to Stanford? Katie Ledecky is left with an unfair choice.
Dog elected for third term as mayor of Minnesota town