What Attracts 13-Year Periodical Cicadas to Your Yard?

Periodical cicadas are among the most fascinating and mysterious insects in North America. Every 13 or 17 years, depending on the brood, these remarkable creatures emerge in massive numbers, filling the air with their distinctive buzzing chorus. Among these, the 13-year periodical cicadas garner particular attention due to their rare and synchronized appearance. If you’ve noticed these insects appearing in your yard or are curious about why they choose certain locations, this article delves deep into what attracts 13-year periodical cicadas to your yard.

Understanding 13-Year Periodical Cicadas

Before exploring what attracts them, it’s important to understand who these cicadas are. Periodical cicadas belong to the genus Magicicada and are known for their unique life cycle. Unlike annual cicadas that appear every summer, periodical cicadas spend most of their lives underground as nymphs, feeding on root fluids, only emerging en masse after precisely 13 or 17 years.

The 13-year cicadas are mainly found in the Midwestern and southern United States. When they emerge, they do so in synchronized broods that can cover thousands of square miles. The emergences result in huge swarms that can overwhelm trees, shrubs, and yards.

What Attracts 13-Year Periodical Cicadas?

Several factors influence why 13-year periodical cicadas might be attracted to your yard. These include environmental conditions, types of vegetation, soil composition, and even microclimate factors.

1. Presence of Deciduous Trees

One of the strongest attractants for periodical cicadas is the presence of deciduous trees — especially those with softer wood. Cicada nymphs spend years underground feeding on the sap from tree roots. When they emerge, adult cicadas seek out branches to mate and lay eggs.

Common trees that attract periodical cicadas include:

• Oak
• Maple
• Hickory
• Elm
• Ash
• Poplar

These trees provide suitable root systems for nymphs underground as well as ideal branches above ground for egg laying. The females use their specialized ovipositor to cut small slits in young twigs and deposit eggs inside. These egg-laden branches eventually weaken and sometimes break off, which is typical damage caused by cicadas.

2. Soil Type and Composition

The quality and type of soil in your yard can play an important role in attracting periodical cicadas. Cicada nymphs live underground for over a decade feeding on root fluids; therefore, soil must support healthy tree roots and provide favorable conditions for them to survive.

Sandy loam or well-drained soils tend to be preferred because they allow easier burrowing and better oxygen flow for nymph survival. Heavy clay soils or overly compacted grounds may discourage nymph habitation because they are harder to penetrate and retain less oxygen.

If your yard has rich organic matter and loamy texture supporting large deciduous trees, it’s far more likely to be a prime spot for cicada emergence.

3. Tree Health and Age

While cicadas can infest various trees, mature healthy trees with extensive root systems are more attractive for nymph feeding. Older trees support more substantial root structures that provide ample sap for developing nymphs.

However, very old or diseased trees may not sustain healthy nymph populations since decaying roots offer less nourishment. Conversely, young saplings might not have developed enough root mass to support many nymphs either.

Therefore, yards with moderately mature trees often witness larger emergences due to optimal conditions both below and above ground.

4. Microclimate Factors

Microclimate refers to the localized climate conditions within your yard area such as humidity, temperature variations, sunlight exposure, and wind patterns.

Cicadas prefer environments where soil temperature reaches about 64°F (18°C), which typically signals it’s time for their emergence from underground. Warmer soils encourage them to tunnel up toward the surface after years below ground.

Additionally, areas receiving moderate sunlight with some shade tend to attract more cicadas compared to completely shaded or fully exposed yards. Moisture levels also matter since overly dry conditions might limit root sap flow making it less ideal for nymph development.

5. Absence of Predators or Disturbances

Like many insects, cicada populations thrive where predation pressure is low or where disturbances such as frequent soil tilling or heavy foot traffic don’t destroy their underground burrows.

If your yard remains relatively undisturbed during their long developmental phase underground — without invasive gardening practices that disrupt soil layers — it provides safer habitat for nymphs.

Similarly, natural predators like birds or small mammals are balanced by sheer numbers during emergence years; however, places with dense predator populations may see fewer visible adults since many get eaten soon after emerging.

6. Geographic Location & Brood Distribution

Location is a natural attractor simply because certain regions have established broods of periodical cicadas that appear every 13 years on fixed schedules.

If your home lies within an area known for a particular brood’s emergence — such as Brood XIX (one of the largest 13-year broods spanning parts of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa) — you’re more likely to witness massive swarms in your yard.

Each brood has a defined geographic range which largely determines where emergences happen. So geographic placement within a brood zone is a significant factor attracting periodic visits by these insects.

How Can You Prepare Your Yard?

If you live in a region expecting a 13-year emergence event soon and want to understand how it might affect your yard or how you can prepare:

• Expect Increased Noise: Male cicadas produce loud mating calls that can reach up to 100 decibels.
• Protect Young Trees: Consider wrapping young tree branches with fine mesh netting during peak egg-laying periods.
• Avoid Excessive Pruning: Allow mature trees to withstand minor branch damage caused by egg-laying.
• Educate Yourself: Understand that cicada emergences are temporary; adults live only a few weeks.
• Enjoy Nature: Use this rare event as an educational opportunity for kids and neighbors fascinated by nature’s wonders.

Conclusion

The attraction of 13-year periodical cicadas to your yard is influenced by a complex mix of natural factors including tree species present, soil quality, tree age and health, microclimate conditions, predator presence, and geographic location within brood ranges. These insects rely heavily on specific environments that support their unique life cycle spending over a decade underground before erupting into massive synchronized emergences.

While their sudden arrival can seem overwhelming at first due to noise and sheer numbers, understanding what draws them helps homeowners appreciate this remarkable natural phenomenon rather than fear it. With preparation and knowledge, you can enjoy witnessing one of nature’s most extraordinary spectacles right in your own backyard every thirteen years!