What to Expect from South Carolina’s Cicadas in 2026
If you’re wondering why the deafening buzzing of cicada season hasn’t started yet, we have good news: 2026 is shaping up to be one of the quietest cicada years South Carolina has seen in a long time! After the jaw-dropping “cicada-geddon” of 2024 and another notable emergence in 2025, this year offers a welcome break. That doesn’t mean cicadas are gone for good. They will be back in full force. Here’s what you need to know about cicada life cycles, what to expect this year, and when the next big wave is coming your way.
Why 2026 Should Be Exceptionally Light On Cicadas
No major periodical cicada broods are scheduled to emerge anywhere in the United States in 2026. That means South Carolina, which hosted millions of Brood XIX cicadas as recently as two years ago, is in a true off-year.
You may still spot a cicada or two. A few stragglers may emerge slightly ahead or behind of their scheduled brood years. Stragglers are most often seen within one year or four years of their brood’s emergence, and they show up solo rather than in the massive synchronized swarms that make periodical cicada years so memorable. As Penn State entomologist Michael Skvarla explained, stragglers won’t produce the deafening chorus associated with a full emergence, but you might hear one if you know what to listen for.
Additionally, South Carolina is home to annual cicada species, the familiar “dog-day cicadas”, that emerge every summer regardless of brood cycles. These are the large, greenish bugs you hear buzzing in the heat of July and August. While they can be noisy, they don’t emerge in the massive numbers that periodical cicadas do, and they cause little to no damage to trees or landscaping.
Understanding Cicada Life Cycles: A Quick Primer
To understand why 2026 is so quiet, it helps to understand what makes periodical cicadas so unusual in the insect world.
Periodical cicadas – These cicadas are only found in eastern North America, and there are seven species in this region. Of these regional species four have a 13-year life cycles and three have a 17-year cycles. After eggs hatch in tree branches, the tiny nymphs drop to the soil and spend the majority of their lives underground, feeding on tree root fluids. After 13 or 17 years, depending on the species, nearly every nymph in a given region emerges simultaneously within a matter of days. This mass emergence, triggered when soil temperatures reach approximately 64°F at a depth of 7 to 8 inches, is one of nature’s most remarkable events.
Because South Carolina sits in a warmer climate, periodical cicadas here often begin emerging in late April, weeks before their northern counterparts in states like Michigan. Once above ground, they molt into winged adults, mate, and lay eggs. This all happens within a four-to-six-week window. Then they’re gone, and the clock resets underground. When two broods do coincidentally overlap like Brood XIX (13-year) and Brood XIII (17-year) did in 2024 they create a noisy spectacle.
Annual cicadas – These cicadas live above ground for only a few weeks but have underground nymph stages of 2 to 5 years, staggered so that some individuals emerge every year. These are the ones you see and hear each summer in South Carolina, and they pose no significant threat to your trees or yard.
South Carolina Cicada Broods
South Carolina falls within the range of several periodical cicada broods. Here’s a look at the ones most relevant to our region and when you can expect them next:
Brood XIX — “The Great Southern Brood” (13-year cycle)
Last emerged: 2024 | Next expected: 2037
This is the big one for South Carolina. Brood XIX is the largest periodical cicada brood in the world by geographic range, and it made a dramatic appearance across the northern and western parts of the state in 2024. Some areas saw an estimated one million cicadas per acre of undeveloped land. Mark your calendar: it won’t be back until 2037.
Brood XIV — (17-year cycle)
Last emerged: 2025 | Next expected: 2042
Brood XIV is a 17-year brood that emerged in 2025 primarily in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. While this brood’s range doesn’t heavily impact most of South Carolina, stragglers could theoretically be spotted in the coming year or two in the Upstate region near the NC border.
Brood II — (17-year cycle)
Last emerged: 2013 | Next expected: 2030
Brood II includes some of the most abundant 17-year cicadas in the eastern United States and has a range that extends through parts of Georgia and the Carolinas. It’s been described as one of the most impressive of the 17-year broods. SC residents in certain areas can expect to see activity from this brood in 2030.
Brood XXII — (13-year cycle)
Last emerged: 2014 |Next expected: 2027
This 13-year brood is scheduled to emerge in 2027 primarily in Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Ohio. South Carolina isn’t in its core range, but it’s worth noting for context.
What Does This All Mean For 2026 Cicada Season In South Carolina
2026 should be one of the quietest cicada years the eastern United States will see for a long time. Until the next major brood emerges, you will hear the familiar buzz of annual dog-day cicadas each summer, and the occasional straggler may turn up if you know where to look, but nothing approaching the scale of a true emergence.
For now, South Carolina gets a breather. Enjoy the quieter summers ahead, keep an eye on the brood calendar, and don’t be surprised if 2037 brings another generation of South Carolinians their first real introduction to the Great Southern Brood.
