Cicadas in North Carolina show up in two very different ways: annual cicadas that appear like clockwork every summer statewide, and periodical cicadas that emerge only once every 13 or 17 years in specific counties. That distinction explains why some years bring a genuine statewide event while most years pass with nothing more than the usual summer buzz. This guide covers when each type actually appears, where periodical broods have emerged in North Carolina, and what to expect this year.
Key Takeaways
- North Carolina has two distinct kinds of cicadas: annual cicadas that emerge every summer statewide, and periodical cicadas that surface only once every 13 or 17 years in specific counties.
- 2026 isn’t a major periodical brood year for North Carolina; the state’s next confirmed emergence isn’t expected until 2030, though annual cicadas will still appear on their usual summer schedule.
- Cicadas don’t bite or sting and pose no threat to people or pets; the only real impact is minor twig dieback from egg-laying, which rarely causes lasting damage to a healthy tree.
Cicadas in North Carolina: Two Very Different Kinds
Both types of cicada look and sound similar at a glance, but their timing and scale couldn’t be more different. Knowing which one you’re actually hearing explains a lot about what to expect in a given year.
| Feature | Annual Cicadas | Periodical Cicadas |
|---|---|---|
| Time underground | A few years, staggered across the population | 13 or 17 years, all at once |
| Emergence pattern | Some portion emerges every year | The entire brood emerges in a single year |
| Size | Larger | Generally smaller |
| Color | Black with green or brown camouflage-style markings | Black-bodied with red to orange eyes |
| Typical timing | Mid-summer through early fall | Late April or May |
| Geographic scope | Statewide, every year | Specific counties, tied to each brood’s range |
| How often it happens | Every year | Once every 13 or 17 years, per brood |
Annual Cicadas: The Ones You’ll Always See
Annual cicadas, sometimes called dog-day cicadas, are the ones North Carolina residents hear every single summer. They’re large, typically black with green or brown camouflage-style markings, and produce the familiar droning chorus heard statewide from mid-summer into early fall. Despite the name, individual annual cicadas still spend several years underground as nymphs before emerging as adults; the “annual” part refers to the fact that some portion of the population emerges every year rather than all at once.
Periodical Cicadas: The Rare Broods
Periodical cicadas are a different story entirely. These cicadas spend either 13 or 17 years underground as nymphs before emerging all at once in a specific year, in specific counties, as part of a numbered “brood.” They’re generally smaller than annual cicadas, black-bodied with distinctive red to orange eyes, and their emergence is rare enough that it regularly makes local news when it happens.
When to Expect Cicadas in North Carolina
Timing looks completely different depending on which type of cicada is involved, and this year specifically has its own answer worth knowing.
Annual Cicada Timing
Annual cicadas emerge gradually as summer progresses, typically becoming noticeable by mid-summer and continuing their chorus into early fall. Unlike periodical broods, there’s no single emergence event to watch for; they simply show up every year without fail across the entire state.
North Carolina’s Periodical Cicada Broods
North Carolina has historically hosted six periodical cicada broods, though some have gone extinct over time. Two of the most recent emergences were Brood XIX, a 13-year brood that surfaced in 2024 mostly in the western part of the state, and Brood XIV, a 17-year brood that emerged in 2025 concentrated in counties like Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Henderson, McDowell, Mitchell, and Wilkes.
Why 2026 Is a Quiet Year for Periodical Cicadas
No major periodical brood is scheduled to emerge in North Carolina in 2026. After the back-to-back activity of Brood XIX in 2024 and Brood XIV in 2025, the state’s next confirmed brood emergence isn’t expected until 2030. Annual cicadas will still follow their normal summer schedule regardless, so the usual chorus isn’t going anywhere even in an otherwise quiet year for periodical broods.
Where Periodical Cicadas Emerge in North Carolina
Periodical cicada broods don’t emerge statewide; they’re concentrated in specific counties tied to each brood’s historical range. Brood XIX’s 2024 emergence affected fewer than 20 counties, mostly in the western part of the state, while Brood XIV’s 2025 emergence concentrated even further west, centered on counties like Buncombe and Henderson. Central and eastern North Carolina counties have largely been spared these recent emergences, seeing only the usual annual cicadas each summer instead.
Where to Find Cicadas Around Your Home
Within a yard, cicadas leave a handful of very specific, easy-to-spot signs. Round, pencil-width holes in the soil near the base of mature trees mark where nymphs dug their way to the surface, and these are especially concentrated wherever a periodical brood is emerging, since nymphs surface directly beneath the same tree they fed on for over a decade. Shed skins, called exuviae, are one of the most commonly noticed signs; these tan, brittle husks cling to tree trunks, bark, fence posts, and even house siding right where the nymph molted into its adult form. Adults themselves tend to gather high in tree canopies, particularly oaks and other mature hardwoods, where males sing to attract females. Small dead or wilting twig tips on young or ornamental trees are the visible sign of the egg-laying damage covered below.
What Triggers a Cicada Emergence
Both annual and periodical cicada nymphs wait underground for soil temperature to reach roughly 64 degrees Fahrenheit at a depth of about eight inches before digging their way to the surface. For periodical broods, that trigger typically arrives in late April or May, while annual cicadas emerge on a more staggered schedule as summer heats up.
Are Cicadas Harmful?
Cicadas raise concerns for two very different reasons, and neither one amounts to a serious problem. One concern is about people and pets directly, and the other is about what egg-laying can do to trees.
Are Cicadas Harmful to People and Pets
Cicadas don’t bite or sting and pose no danger to people or pets. Their most noticeable impact by far is the sound males produce to attract females, which can exceed 100 decibels during a large periodical emergence.
Are Cicadas Harmful to Trees and Landscaping
The only real damage cicadas cause comes from egg-laying, when females cut slits into small branches and twigs to deposit their eggs. Branch tips can die back as a result, a process sometimes called flagging, though healthy, established trees usually recover without lasting harm. Young or newly planted trees are more vulnerable, and fine netting secured around the trunk can keep egg-laying females off vulnerable branches during a known emergence year.
Straggler Cicadas: Why You Might See One Off-Schedule
Occasionally, a periodical cicada emerges one or even four years ahead of or behind its brood’s expected schedule, a phenomenon known as a straggler. These early or late risers are thought to result from unusual temperature swings that affect how the nymphs track time underground. Because stragglers emerge outside the safety of their brood’s massive numbers, they’re far more vulnerable to predators and won’t produce anything close to the chorus of a full emergence.
When Cicada Season Calls for a Professional
Cicadas themselves rarely call for any kind of pest control response, since they don’t damage structures and their presence is temporary even during a major emergence. If cicada activity coincides with other pest concerns around a property, or if young trees need protection during a known emergence year, that’s a more useful reason to reach out.
Get Pest Control for Your North Carolina Home
Sage Pest Control’s general pest control service across North Carolina addresses the pests that actually cause ongoing problems around a property, which cicadas typically aren’t. Sage is GreenPro certified and offers same-day service 90 to 95 percent of the time, with free re-services if activity returns between scheduled visits. Visit Sage Pest Control or contact the team to discuss any other pest concerns around your property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cicadas bite or sting?
No, though it’s understandable why some people think otherwise. Cicadas have piercing mouthparts they use to feed on plant sap, and one can briefly probe skin if it lands on a person, which is likely where some of the bite confusion comes from. That contact might feel odd, but it doesn’t break skin or cause any reaction.
Will periodical cicadas ever emerge in central or eastern North Carolina again?
It depends on the brood. North Carolina’s recent periodical emergences have concentrated heavily in the western part of the state, but other broods with different historical ranges have appeared farther east in past decades. Checking a specific brood’s documented range is the most reliable way to know whether a particular county has ever seen periodical cicadas before.
Should I report a straggler cicada if I spot one?
It’s genuinely useful if you do. Documenting a straggler sighting, with the date, location, and a photo, gives entomologists real data on how these off-schedule cicadas track time underground, since stragglers are one of the main ways researchers study that question.
