BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – After months of anticipation, Brood X cicadas are starting to emerge in the North Georgia mountains.

It’s been 17 years since Brood X last crawled out of the ground. These periodical cicadas have red eyes, orange wings, and are approximately 2.5 inches long. They’re different from annual cicadas that emerge every year and have black eyes and green wings also known as the “dog day cicada.”

There are three broods of 17-year cicadas and four 13-year cicada broods. Cicadas that appear in the same year are called broods and given a roman numeral. The insects are more closely related to aphids than locusts.

Much of the Eastern United States will be hearing Brood X this spring. They leave the ground once ground temperatures reach 64 degrees Fahrenheit at eight inches deep. Once out and about, the insects will survive for four to six weeks.

Cicada skins. Image courtesy of Cicada Safari

The insects crawl out of finger size holes in the ground then climb up trees or fences to shed their skin. Brood X cicadas feed on tree sap underground for 17 years before coming out to mate.

North Georgia’s at the southern edge of the Brood X territory so some areas might not be affected by the cicadas.

Cicadas are very loud by harmless. The male cicada is the one making all the noise trying to attract a mate. They can reach up to 90 to 100 decibels when in concert with each other.

Don’t expect a cicada to bite or sting you. Also, plants won’t experience extensive damage because of Brood X. Females will lay eggs on branches which might cause the tip to die. However, it shouldn’t affect mature plants. People can loosely wrap cheesecloth around branch tips to protect young trees. The process is also known as “nature’s pruning” because often the tips that fall out were already dying. It might look unsightly for a week or two, but ultimately, it’s beneficial for the tree.

Local wildlife will enjoy this 17-year delicacy with fish, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and other insects lining up to dine on Brood X.

For those interested in tracking Brood X, download the Cicada Safari App and report where you find them.

And for people hoping the noise will be over by the end of July, you’re out of luck annual cicadas begin emerging June into October.