Are There Cicadas in Utah?

Where Cicadas Are Found in Utah

Cicadas in Utah concentrate in the state's forested regions and riparian zones. The Wasatch Mountains along the Wasatch Front support established populations, especially in oak and cottonwood groves near Salt Lake City, Provo, and Ogden. The San Juan Mountains in southeastern Utah host populations in their mixed conifer and oak forests. Cicadas also live along the Green River and Colorado River corridors where mature riparian vegetation provides ideal habitat. The high desert valleys surrounding the Uinta Basin and the Book Cliffs occasionally host cicada emergences as well. Unlike eastern states, Utah cicadas are rarely dense enough to create overwhelming choruses, but they remain a regular feature of the late spring and summer soundscape in these specific regions. You can learn more about all wildlife in Utah by visitingthe state wildlife hub.

Season and Timing in Utah

Most Utah cicadas emerge between late May and August, peaking in July when daytime temperatures consistently exceed 80 degrees. Annual cicada species have staggered emergences, meaning you may hear cicada calls over a span of months rather than a single synchronized brood event. Periodical cicadas are rare in Utah; the state sits outside the main zones of the 13-year and 17-year brood cycles that dominate the Midwest and East. When periodical cicadas do emerge regionally, it is usually triggered by unusual weather patterns or the rare overlap of a brood's range with Utah's territory. Once emerged, adult cicadas typically live only four to six weeks, so the calling season is relatively brief even at peak times. The intensity and timing can vary depending on annual temperature patterns and moisture availability. For more on cicada in Utah, see ourUtah cicada guide.

How to Identify a Cicada

Utah cicadas are medium to large insects, ranging from 1 to 2 inches long. Most have brownish, gray, or tan wing covers that blend well with tree bark. Their bodies are strong and somewhat stocky, and they have prominent eyes positioned on the sides of the head. Males produce sound using drumlike structures called tymbals on their abdomens, creating buzzing, whining, or pulsating calls that can reach 90 decibels. Females are silent but can be distinguished by the absence of visible tymbal plates. Cicadas have long, straw-like beaks used to pierce plant stems and extract xylem fluid. Their wings are held tent-like over the body at rest, and they have relatively short antennae compared to many other insects. A cicada molts on a tree trunk, leaving behind a hollow exoskeleton that is often mistaken for the insect itself. You can also browseUtah wildlife.

Where Sightings Concentrate in Utah

Cicada sightings in Utah are most reliable in mature oak forests and riparian cottonwood groves. Antelope Island State Park north of Salt Lake City hosts populations along its cottonwood-lined waterways and oak thickets. The Jordanelle Reservoir area in the Wasatch Range supports cicadas in its surrounding woodlands and aspen groves mixed with oaks. Logan Canyon along the Bear River in northern Utah provides ideal cicada habitat with old-growth Douglas fir and Gambel oak. The Dinosaur National Monument area along the Green and Yampa Rivers in northeastern Utah occasionally reports cicada activity. Closer to urban areas, city parks and residential yards with mature shade trees in Salt Lake City and Provo may host cicadas during peak summer months. The shaded canyons leading into the Uinta Mountains also provide suitable microhabitats for local populations. See all of ourwildlife guides.

Typical Cicada Behavior

Adult cicadas spend their days clinging to tree trunks and branches, usually high in the canopy where they feed on plant xylem. They are most vocal during the warmest parts of the day, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when males congregate and call to attract females. The male's buzz is one of nature's most intense sounds, powered by rapid muscle contractions that can vibrate the tymbal structures hundreds of times per second. Females attracted by male calls lay eggs in slits cut into small tree branches, and nymphs drop to the soil after hatching. Cicada nymphs spend years underground feeding on root xylem before emerging as adults. Once above ground, they have just weeks to mate and lay eggs before dying. Cicadas produce no venom and pose no threat to people; they are entirely focused on reproduction and feeding.

Coexistence and Safety Notes

Cicadas are completely harmless to people. They do not bite, sting, or transmit disease, and they ignore humans entirely. If handled, they may attempt to use their straw-like beaks to pierce skin in search of fluids, but this rarely happens and causes no real injury. Large-scale cicada emergences occasionally cause minor twig damage to trees when females lay eggs, but this seldom threatens tree health. Some people find the cicada chorus annoying during peak calling season, while others appreciate it as a natural summer soundtrack. In Utah, where cicada populations are relatively sparse, noise is rarely a concern. Aguide to cicadas in Utahprovides detailed local information. Killing cicadas is unnecessary and illegal in some jurisdictions that protect native wildlife; it is far better to simply enjoy them as part of Utah's natural ecosystem and allow them to complete their life cycle.

Species People Confuse with Cicadas

The most common confusion is between cicadas and grasshoppers, which produce sounds using different mechanisms and have notably different body shapes. Grasshoppers have elongated bodies with very long hind legs built for jumping, while cicadas are stockier with shorter legs designed for clinging. Cicada killers are large wasps that hunt cicadas, and people sometimes mistake the wasp itself for the cicada or assume they are the same insect. Antlions sometimes emerge from sandy soil in Utah and are occasionally mistaken for cicadas, though antlions have longer antennae and very different behavior. Some people confuse locust swarms with cicada emergences, but locusts are actually grasshoppers in a swarming phase and look very different. In Utah, the possibility of mistaking a cicada for another creature is low because cicadas are relatively uncommon and their behavior is distinctive once observed up close.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cicadas

Q: How loud are Utah cicadas? A: Utah cicadas are noticeably quieter than eastern periodical cicadas because populations are smaller and more dispersed. A single calling male can still produce loud sounds, but you will rarely encounter the overwhelming chorus common in parts of the Midwest and East.

Q: Do cicadas hurt people or pets? A: No. Cicadas are completely harmless. They do not bite or sting, and pets can safely encounter them without issue.

Q: Why is my tree suddenly full of cicada shells? A: Cicada nymphs emerge from the soil and climb tree trunks to molt into adults. The empty exoskeleton remains on the bark and branches. These shells are harmless and fall off naturally.

Q: Are periodical cicadas coming to Utah soon? A: Periodical cicadas are rare in Utah, as the state falls outside the main emergence zones. Annual cicadas emerge every year in small numbers, but large-scale periodical brood events are not expected in the foreseeable future. For more information about Utah's cicadas, visit thenational wildlife hub.