2013 Brood II Cicada Invasion: Have You Seen Any?

If you haven’t seen a swarm of cicadas in your neighborhood already, you may not see very many—or any—of the bugs this summer.

The 17-year Brood II cicadas, which were expected to blanket the East Coast from North Carolina through New England, are very prevalent in some areas but not others.

Cicadas start to emerge when soil temperatures hit the mid-60s, and soil temperatures in most parts of Fairfax County have been well into that range for some time now. 

In Burke, Lorton, Centreville, Prince William County and elsewhere, residents have reported seeing dozens of cicadas on trees, in the grass and in the air. Reports of cicada invasions are also coming in from New Jersey, Delaware and elsewhere to the northeast.

There are lighter, spotty reports of seeing cicadas in the Alexandria part of Fairfax County.

• See: 2013 Cicada 'Swarmageddon' in Virginia: What We Could See Here

However, the Capital Weather Gang reports that recent Brood II cicada maps show the infestation “stops just south of the Capital Beltway” except for some isolated pockets.

Yes, even bugs are trying to avoid the Beltway.

“If you have not yet seen cicadas where you live, there is a good chance that Brood II has missed your area,” wrote CWG’s Kevin Ambrose. “Don’t worry, Brood X will probably get you in 2021.”

In early May, Joan Martinez Allen, Urban Forester II with the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, said,  “Fairfax County is on the border of where this year’s 17-year emergence will occur. … Their presence will be spotty.”

Where to See Cicadas

If you haven’t seen any cicadas in your neighborhood and you want to see a real invasion, head south and west: Go down I-95 into Prince William County just south of the Occoquan River. Or go toward the battlefields in Manassas.

Tell us: Have you seen any cicadas in your neighborhood, or have you heard their clicky song? Let us know in the comments. 

More on the 2013 Brood II cicadas: 

• Pet Safety During Cicada Season
• The Art of Eating Cicadas
• Are Cicadas Safe to Eat? Cicada Recipes and Cooking Tips
• 7 Reasons to Embrace the Cicada Swarmageddon
• How Many Cicadas Are Experts Expecting in Northern Virginia?