Are There Cicadas in North Carolina?
Yes, cicadas are very common throughout North Carolina, especially in the warmer months. Both annual and periodical varieties thrive across the state from the coastal plains to the western mountain foothills. You will hear their loud buzzing calls from June through August, sometimes starting as early as May.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 22, 2026.
Cassin's 17-year Cicada · Nick Tobler (Cowturtle) CC BY
Dark Lyric Cicada · Cecil Smith CC BY
Prairie Cicada · Peter Chen 2.0 CC BY
- 8
- species recorded
- 5,309
- GBIF records
- August, May, July
- peak months
Yes, cicadas are in North Carolina. Next you'll want:
Real sighting data, source iNaturalist
14,255 verified observations on iNaturalist of cicada have been recorded in North Carolina, most often in August, May, July.
When cicada are recorded in North Carolina
Yes, cicadas are very common throughout North Carolina, especially in the warmer months. Both annual and periodical varieties thrive across the state from the coastal plains to the western mountain foothills. You will hear their loud buzzing calls from June through August, sometimes starting as early as May.
Where Cicadas Are Found in North Carolina
Cicadas occur in every county throughout North Carolina. They are found from the Outer Banks barrier islands westward across the coastal plain, through the Piedmont region, and into the Appalachian foothills and mountains. The wooded areas around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park support abundant populations. The forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains host them reliably. Piedmont rivers including the Neuse River and the Catawba River regions have many cicadas. The Outer Banks and the coastal swamps of the Great Dismal Swamp refuges see them in summer. Anywhere with trees and sufficient moisture supports cicadas. They do especially well where oak, hickory, and maple trees are common. Urban parks in Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, and Greensboro host them. The/wildlife/north-carolinaguide offers more regional information. Visit/wildlifeto explore other North Carolina species.
Seasonal Timing and Periodical Emergence
Annual cicadas emerge across North Carolina from mid-June through August, with peak activity in July. The exact timing varies slightly by elevation, with mountain regions emerging later than coastal areas. Underground soil temperature drives emergence, typically occurring when soil reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit consistently. North Carolina is home to several periodical cicada broods, most notably the 13-year and 17-year varieties. A 13-year brood sometimes emerges in different parts of the state on different years. These emergences are predictable and heavily studied by entomologists. When periodical cicadas emerge, they do so in enormous numbers across specific geographic regions. The 2024 emergence included multiple overlapping broods across western and central North Carolina, a rare event that happened only once in the past 200 years. Residents of North Carolina have learned to expect these dramatic emergences and often plan to observe them. For more on cicada in North Carolina, see ourNorth Carolina cicada guide.
How to Identify Cicadas
North Carolina cicadas are large insects, typically 1 to 2 inches long, with thick bodies covered in hard armor-like shells. Their wings are transparent or slightly tinted, held in a tent or roof-like position over their backs. Most species are dark brown or black, with reddish, orange, or cream-colored markings on their eyes, wing margins, and legs. The eyes are particularly noticeable and often red or black. The male abdomen contains a special acoustic organ that produces sound. Periodical cicadas, when they emerge, are identical in appearance to annual cicadas except that they often have more vibrant red coloring on their eyes and limbs. All cicadas produce a distinctive buzzing or droning sound by vibrating a special membrane on their abdomen. The call is unique to each species and is louder than most insects you will encounter. Males call during daylight hours, typically in hot afternoons. You can also browseNorth Carolina wildlife.
Where Sightings Concentrate in North Carolina
Cicadas concentrate in areas with mature deciduous and mixed forests. The Blue Ridge National Forest in western North Carolina hosts reliable populations. State parks like South Mountains State Park and Hanging Rock State Park have good numbers. The forests around the Great Smoky Mountains see them reliably each year. The Piedmont region's oak-hickory forests support many cicadas. Urban parks in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and other cities have established populations. The Croatan National Forest in the coastal plain hosts them despite the sandy soil. The swamp forests along rivers like the Neuse River and the Catawba River have cicadas. Residential neighborhoods with mature shade trees attract them. Cemetery grounds with old trees support populations. Look for them in any location with abundant hardwood trees and consistent moisture. Consult the/wildlife/north-carolina/cicadapage for specific site recommendations.
Cicada Behavior and Life Cycle
Cicadas spend most of their life underground as nymphs, feeding on sap from plant roots. Annual cicadas typically spend 2 to 5 years underground before emerging. When conditions are right, they dig upward through the soil and climb onto trees, shrubs, and even buildings to molt. The molting process is dramatic. They split their old exoskeleton vertically down the back and emerge with soft, pale bodies that harden over several days. The empty shells they leave behind are tan or brown and remain attached to bark for weeks. After hardening, adult cicadas feed by piercing tree bark with a needle-like mouth and drawing sap. Males position themselves in trees and begin calling repeatedly. The buzzing call serves only to attract females for mating. Females lay hundreds of eggs in slits they cut into tree twigs. After eggs hatch, tiny nymphs fall to the ground and burrow into the soil, beginning the cycle again.
Coexistence and Wildlife Protections
Cicadas are completely harmless to people and pose no threat whatsoever. They do not bite, sting, or carry disease of any kind. They cannot be aggressive and have no defensive mechanisms. Many North Carolinians view cicada emergences as a natural spectacle worth experiencing. The noise they produce can be intense during peak season, reaching 100 decibels or higher when many males call together, but this is temporary and ends by September. Damage to trees is minimal in most cases. Healthy, well-established trees can easily handle cicada egg-laying. Young trees or trees under stress may lose small branches but usually recover. Cicadas are protected wildlife under North Carolina law and cannot be harmed without justification. They provide essential ecosystem services by feeding birds, wasps, and other wildlife. After death, they return nutrients to the soil. The/wildlife/north-carolinahub includes conservation guidance.
Species Confusion and Look-Alikes
Several insects resemble cicadas but are easily distinguished with closer inspection. Grasshoppers are often confused with cicadas, but grasshoppers are much smaller, have long hind legs built for jumping, and are much more active. Cicadas cannot jump and have short legs. Katydids are green insects that make a rattling or chirping sound at night, quite different from cicada behavior. Long-horned beetles can look similar to cicadas but have hard, shiny wing covers that meet in a straight line down the back. Cicada wings are transparent and overlap slightly. Cicada killer wasps are sometimes mistaken for cicadas, but these are large predatory wasps with bright yellow and black striped bodies. They are hunters of cicadas, not cicadas themselves. Once you observe a real cicada and hear its distinctive call in a North Carolina summer, confusion becomes impossible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do cicadas eat and do they harm trees? Cicadas feed on tree sap by piercing bark with their needle-like mouth. Healthy trees suffer little or no damage. Only young or already stressed trees might lose small branches during very heavy infestations, and recovery is usually quick. How loud are cicadas and why do they call? Cicada calls can reach 100 decibels when many males chorus together. They call only to attract females for reproduction. The calls stop by early fall as populations naturally decline. Why do periodical cicadas emerge in such large numbers? Emerging in huge numbers is a survival strategy called predator satiation. Predators cannot eat enough to control the population, so more individuals survive to reproduce. Are cicadas found every year in North Carolina? Annual cicadas emerge every year, particularly from June to August. Periodical cicadas follow their own schedule and may not be visible for several years between emergences in any given location.
Plan your cicada sighting in North Carolina
5,309 verified cicada records have been logged in North Carolina, most recently in 2026. See the GBIF records.
Where to look in North Carolina
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Blue Ridge Parkway · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
- Cape Hatteras National Seashore · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Cape Lookout National Seashore · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
More places to see cicada
More wildlife in North Carolina