Get ready DMV, the cicadas have come. No worries though, this is not an invasion, infestation, or plague upon the land. Instead the mass exodus of billions of cicadas from earth to sky is a very natural, very beneficial natural occurrence. Among other things, they prune mature trees, aerate the soil, and once they die, their bodies serve as an important source of nitrogen for growing trees.
Virginia's periodical cicadas are a part of a particular group of cicadas called Brood X. Brood X is composed of three different species of cicadas with synchronized lifespans. Appearing every 17 years, these periodical cicadas are smaller, louder, and far more numerous than their annual counterparts. They pose no danger to us humans or the environment - other than perhaps our annoyance over their noise and sheer number.
The survival of their species is due to a tactic called predator satiation. This simply means that the cicadas arrive in such large numbers that all predators can eat their fill and they will still have the numbers to reproduce for the next generation. Once out, they're eaten by just about anything with an insectivorous diet. This consumption will lead to an explosion in population growth for many species.
In a recent interview with the Washington Correspondent, Alonso Abugattas, the Capital Naturalist, shared his excitement for the rare occurrence of Brood X periodical cicadas: “We are kind of blessed to have them - the only place you have them now is in the Eastern part of North America. Nowhere else in the world! [...] This is something that many other people will never get to see.”
This is indeed a precious and unusual phenomenon - and it exists ever more so precariously each year. While Brood X once appeared in New York, northern New Jersey and Connecticut, this spring the region may be cicada-free. This may be due to overdevelopment, pesticides, and chemical runoff contaminating soil, among other causes.
To prevent the same thing from happening here, Alonso Abugattas provided some practical ways local residents can help protect the environment. 1) Plant locally native plants - because they support everything else in the environment - and 2) Help control invasive plants. These plants prevent local species from thriving and don't provide nearly as much habitat for local wildlife as endemic plant species. These are essential actions that locals can do to help protect the environment on top of individual contributions such as recycling, chemical control, and supporting nature parks.