Magicicada from Brood VIII, Moon Twp PA, 9 June 2019 (photo by Kate St. John)

11 June 2026

Seven years ago Magicicada Brood VIII emerged in western Allegheny County. I caught up with them in Moon Twp, PA on 9 June 2019.

Protected from the chaos of the topside world, larvae that burrowed underground in 2002 had lived safely underground for 17 years. But in Moon Twp far fewer emerged than expected.

Find out what I discovered in this vintage article.

Topside land use changed while the magicicadas lived underground. They were trapped by “progress.”

p.s. Here are the active periodical cicada broods in the U.S. What will Brood VIII find when they emerge in 2036?

Map of Periodical Cicada Broods of the U.S. as of June 2026, from Wikimedia Commons