The sound of summer is often marked by a loud, buzzing chorus emanating from the high branches of trees. These large, winged insects, known as cicadas, capture public attention due to their mysterious, subterranean lives and sudden, noisy appearances. While their collective sound is noticeable globally, the details of their emergence and life cycles vary significantly by location. The most famous cicada events involve massive, synchronized swarms, but not all species emerge in this overwhelming fashion.
Yes, Cicadas Live in Utah
The immediate answer to whether cicadas exist in the Great Basin region is a definitive yes, with over a dozen species native to the state. However, the cicadas found across Utah are fundamentally different from the enormous, highly publicized periodical broods, such as Brood X or Brood XIII, that emerge every 13 or 17 years in eastern and midwestern states. The state is home only to what are known as annual, or non-periodical, cicadas.
These annual species still spend years underground as nymphs, but their life cycles are not synchronized across the entire population. Instead, a portion matures and emerges every single year, which is why residents hear their distinctive calls every summer season. This staggered emergence prevents the overwhelming, synchronized swarms seen in the East, and the absence of the Magicicada genus means the state’s residents will not experience those specific, once-in-a-decade events.
Identifying Utah’s Common Species
The cicadas found across Utah and the Intermountain West often belong to the genera Okanagana and Platypedia, which are adapted to the region’s diverse habitats. Many Okanagana species, sometimes called Mountain Cicadas, are characterized by a darker coloration, frequently featuring black bodies with accents of red or orange stripes and spots. These insects are commonly found in the high desert, canyons, and mountain foothills, contrasting with the greener Dog-Day cicadas of the East.
Another notable group is the genus Platypedia, which is unique because its members produce sound through crepitation, generating a distinctive clicking or crackling noise instead of the classic buzzing trill. The species Diceroprocta apache, also known as the Citrus Cicada, can be found in the state and is recognizable by its black and beige coloring, with eyes that may be red or beige. The Common Cactus Dodger, Cacama valvata, is another resident species with a black body highlighted by gold markings. Physical identification of the state’s many species can be challenging, but their unique songs and the specific habitats they occupy are often the best indicators.
Lifecycle and Emergence Patterns
Although the cicadas in Utah are called “annual,” this name refers only to the fact that adults emerge yearly, not that the insects complete their full life cycle in just 12 months. Like all cicadas, the local species spend multiple years developing underground as nymphs, feeding on the fluid from plant roots. This subterranean development can last from a few years up to a decade or more, though the exact duration is less predictable than the fixed 13- or 17-year cycles of their eastern counterparts.
The adult cicadas typically begin to appear in early summer, with populations becoming most noticeable during the hotter, later part of the season. Emergence usually peaks from July through September for many of the common species. The signature sound that permeates the summer air is exclusively the mating call of the adult male cicada, generated by vibrating specialized membranes on their abdomen called tymbals. Once above ground, the adults live for only a few weeks, focusing on mating before the females lay their eggs in small slits cut into tree branches.