Because the cicadas only live above the surface for a few short weeks, it’s not surprising that they use such a self-sacrificing tactic to ensure their young’s success.ĭuring their life cycle, cicadas lay eggs on as many plant surfaces as they can. That way, no matter how many cicadas succumb to local predators, plenty will survive to create the next generation. Essentially, the cicadas emerge from the ground in such high numbers that their predators quickly get full. The survival tactic that the cicadas use to survive this high carnivore presence is predator sedation.

Cicadas get caught at all points of their short above-surface life cycle, which lasts for about 6 weeks. However, because their numbers are so high, the presence of predators is important to ensure a limited impact on the environment. There’s something magical about billions of bug crawling out of the earth, molting, then immediately flying into the air. This is a truly staggering number of insects, so it’s no surprise that tourists from around the country are making plans to witness this amazing event that only happens once every 17 years.Ĭicadas almost always emerge in massive numbers. The cicada population that emerging from the ground this year is estimated to be in the billions. Read on to discover! Preparing for an Abundant Cicada Population Either way, it’s hard to deny that the upcoming cicada emergence is some of the most exciting environmental news of the year.Īnd one question we’re getting a lot right now is whether cicadas bring more copperheads. Maybe you’re worried about avoiding snake bites or simply curious about the impacts of such an event on the local ecosystem. One of the many concerns for residents and wildlife enthusiasts alike is whether the extra presence of cicadas will increase local snake populations. Due to the abundance of food, there is a population boom of young snakes shortly after a cicada emergence, but the snake populations return to normal when the extra food source runs out.Ĭicada Brood X is due to emerge from the ground in 2021 in 15 states across the eastern and central United States.In reality, snakes such as copperheads tend to come out of hiding to eat the cicadas. Snakes are purported to increase their populations during cicada season.These include birds, moles, foxes, and snakes. When a brood of cicadas is preparing to emerge from underground, people often start to notice their predators beginning to appear.Black Mamba vs Green Mamba: 5 Key… Key Points

Cicada predators