Brood XIV Is Coming: 17-Year Cicadas Set to Swarm Tennessee Soon

Issue #414

April 21, 2025

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🌧️ Columbia’s Weather - Rain with high of 70 & low of 56

📰 Brood XIV Is Coming: 17-Year Cicadas Set to Swarm Tennessee Soon

📰 Habitat for Humanity Receives Funding to Bring Affordable Housing to Local Families

📌 4/24: Bunco at Columbia Aquatics & Rec Center

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Monday, April 21st

Tuesday, April 22nd

Wednesday, April 23rd

Thursday, April 24th

Friday, April 25th

Saturday, April 26th

Sunday, April 27th

📌 Mark Your Calendars…

May 1-3: Mid-South Live Steamers Spring Meet at Maury County Park

Brood XIV Is Coming: 17-Year Cicadas Set to Swarm Tennessee Soon

Tennessee is about to get noisy — and it’s all thanks to the arrival of Brood XIV, a group of 17-year periodical cicadas set to emerge in the coming weeks. Last seen in 2008, these cicadas have spent nearly two decades underground and are now preparing to rise, sing, and reproduce before disappearing again until 2042.

The cicadas will start to surface when soil temperatures about 8 inches deep reach 64 degrees, a threshold typically met in late April or early May. While 2024 brought a widespread emergence of 13-year cicadas from Brood XIX, this year’s spectacle is expected to cover an even wider area — particularly across East Tennessee and scattered counties in Middle and West Tennessee.

Periodical cicadas, part of the Magicicada genus, hold the record for the longest developmental period of any insect. After hatching, they spend 13 or 17 years underground feeding on plant roots. The Southeast generally sees more of the 13-year type, while the 17-year varieties are more common further north. In total, scientists have documented 15 distinct broods, each assigned a Roman numeral, with Brood XIV being one of the 12 17-year broods.

These cicadas are about 1 to 1.5 inches long, black-bodied with striking reddish-orange eyes, legs, and wing veins. While their presence can be overwhelming, they pose no threat to people or pets. They don’t bite, sting, or feed on plants after emerging. However, they can cause cosmetic damage to young trees and shrubs during the egg-laying process. Covering vulnerable plants with mesh or netting is recommended, as insecticides are largely ineffective.

The cicadas making their debut this spring began life as eggs in 2008. After emerging, males will quickly begin calling out for mates with their characteristic buzzing chorus — an unmistakable soundtrack to early summer. Unlike annual cicadas, which appear later in the summer and are larger with green and brown coloring, these periodical cicadas are active for only a few weeks in May.

Females lay their eggs in slits they carve into twigs and branches using a specialized ovipositor. Each female can lay hundreds of eggs, with small white nymphs hatching six to seven weeks later. The nymphs drop to the ground, burrow in, and begin another 17-year cycle underground.

By mid-to-late June, the adult cicadas will disappear, and it will be another generation — the year 2042 — before Brood XIV makes its next appearance.

For more information about cicadas, read UT Extension publication SP 341 “Periodical Cicadas.”

Habitat for Humanity Receives Funding to Bring Affordable Housing to Local Families

Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury (HFHWM) has secured $46,500 in grant funding to support the construction of two new homes in Maury County. The funding is part of a larger $500,000 grant awarded to Habitat for Humanity of Tennessee by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA).

This financial support will help local families take significant steps toward homeownership, offering stability and opportunity through affordable housing. Across Tennessee, the grant will contribute to the construction of 20 new homes for first-time homebuyers working toward financial independence.

By backing programs like Habitat for Humanity, THDA continues to promote community development and family resilience. Since 2006, THDA has invested over $117 million into strengthening homeownership opportunities for Tennesseans.

Habitat’s homeownership model includes future homeowners contributing “sweat equity” by helping build their homes alongside volunteers. They then purchase the completed homes through affordable mortgages, promoting personal responsibility and long-term stability.

HFHWM has been serving the region since 1992 and has completed more than 300 home builds and repairs across Williamson and Maury counties. The organization currently builds 8–10 new homes per year, funded by community donations, ReStore proceeds, and local partnerships.

For those interested in homeownership, volunteering, or supporting Habitat’s mission, more information is available at hfhwm.org.

4/24: Bunco at Columbia Aquatics & Rec Center

Get ready for a morning of fun, laughter, and friendly competition with Bunco at the ARC!

Join us on Thursday, April 24th, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at the Columbia Aquatics & Recreation Center (ARC) for this exciting dice game that’s easy to learn and fun to play. Whether you’re a seasoned Bunco player or brand new to the game, everyone is welcome to join the fun!

When: Thursday, April 24th, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Don’t miss out on this chance to roll the dice, meet new friends, and enjoy a great time—see you there!

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Monday, April 21st

Hobo Cane, Puckett’s, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Tuesday, April 22nd

Justen Harden, Puckett’s, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Wednesday, April 23rd

Mika Lynch, Puckett’s, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Thursday, April 24th

Oliver Pigott, Puckett’s, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Todd Ciprian, Tito’s Spring Hill, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Codetta South & Bronwen Fair, McCreary’s, 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Friday, April 25th

Beyond The Grove, Buck & Board, 6:30 - 9:00 PM
Larry Gatlin, Gary Chapman & Regie Hamm, The Mulehouse, 7:00 PM
WTFunk, McCreary’s, 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Saturday, April 26th

Nick Bentley, Keg Springs Winery, 2:00 - 5:00 PM
Grasskickers, Amber Falls Winery, 3:00 - 7:00 PM
Kamber, Buck & Board, 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Cole Nichols & Austin Bohannon, 106 Pleasant St, Mt Pleasant, TN, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
615 Rewind, The Boondox, 8:00 - 11:00 PM

Sunday, April 27th

The Sins, Amber Falls Winery, 1:00 - 5:00 PM
Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

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