Brood XIII (also known as Brood 13 or Northern Illinois Brood) is one of 15 separate broods of periodical cicadas that appear regularly throughout the midwestern United States. Every 17 years, Brood XIII tunnels en masse to the surface of the ground, lays eggs, and then dies off in several weeks.
Although entomologist C. L. Marlatt published an account in 1907 in which he argued for the existence of 30 broods, over the years a number have been consolidated and only 15 are recognized today as being distinct. Brood XIII is among the 12 different broods with 17-year cycles.
Its most recent appearance was in the spring and early summer of 2007, throughout an area roughly enclosed by northern Illinois, eastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin, and a narrow strip of Indiana bordering Lake Michigan and Michigan. It will emerge again in 2024 and 2041.
"The 1½ inch long black bugs do not sting or bite. Once they emerge, they spend their short two-week lives climbing trees, shedding their crunchy skins and reproducing. They can number up to several hundred thousand per acre."
Famous quotes containing the word brood:
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—Albion Fellows Bacon (1865–1933)