Every 13 or 17 years, trillions of periodical cicadas emerge from underground across more than a dozen states to molt, sing, court, and mate. This year, there is a rare dual emergence of Brood XIII in Northern Illinois and Brood XIX in the South. The courtship ritual of the cicadas is as intimate and intricate as a tango, with high stakes and many potential missteps.
Male cicadas must arrive early to improve their odds of reproducing, but not too early to avoid predators. After emerging from the ground, the cicadas must molt, unfurl their wings, solidify, and turn glossy black. The males then begin singing by vibrating their tymbals, hollow membranes on their abdomen that amplify the sound.
Courtship among cicadas occurs in three phases, each with a specific song associated with a particular species. The male first sings a brief, inviting phrase, flies a short distance, lands, and sings again to attract receptive females. Females may show interest by snapping their wings, indicating potential mating. Competing males may produce an interference buzz to disrupt the first male’s advances.
If a female expresses interest by snapping her wings within a certain timeframe, the male may approach her and switch to the next song in the courtship sequence. The male may then touch the female and initiate the final mating process, which can last three to five hours. Throughout this process, the female must ensure she mates with the correct species to avoid reproductive issues.
Some cicadas may encounter a fungus called Massospora cicadina, which turns them into sex-crazed zombies focused on spreading the infection. This can have negative consequences for the infected cicadas, as they unwittingly aid the spread of the fungus. After mating, the female cicadas will lay eggs in tree nests, and the cycle will start again with the hatching of nymphs in 6 to 10 weeks, who will burrow back into the ground and wait for the next emergence in 13 or 17 years.
