Quick Answer / TL;DR: Yes, cicadas can be attracted to lawn mowers. A running engine produces loud tones, pulses, and vibrations that resemble a cicada chorus, so some cicadas—especially males during a large emergence—investigate, circle, or land on the machine. They are not drawn to fuel, heat, or cut grass, and the behavior is harmless but can be reduced by mowing early and choosing quieter equipment.
Short on time? Our ego power+ z6 rear bumper for covers the main options at a glance, and our who makes dewalt lawn mowers guide walks through brand details if you’re shopping for a quieter machine.
What You Need
You don’t need special tools to manage cicadas while mowing—just awareness and a few basics:
- Eye protection and long pants — flying cicadas can startle you mid-turn near the deck.
- Hearing protection — mowers already exceed 85 dB; add ear muffs during peak emergence.
- A watchful pre-mow check — five minutes of observation before starting the engine.
- A broom or soft brush — for clearing cicadas off the handle, seat, or deck without touching them.
- Timing plan — check local emergence reports so you can mow early in the morning or on lower-activity days.
- Optional: a quieter mower — electric or battery models and manual reel mowers provoke far less response than gas engines.
Preparation: Clear the lawn of debris, confirm children and pets are indoors, and note wind direction—cicadas tend to fly toward sound sources, so open areas give you better visibility of approaching insects.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Understand Why Cicadas React to Lawn Mowers
Recognize the mower as a sound signal, not a shelter. Adult male cicadas produce calls using specialized structures called tymbals on the abdomen to attract females and communicate within a chorus. They detect sound through tympana—eardrum-like organs that respond to other cicadas and environmental noise. A mower engine doesn’t produce a perfect cicada call, but its frequencies, rhythms, and ground vibration can overlap enough to trigger a temporary investigation.
A running mower creates several signals at once:
- A loud, repeating engine tone
- Rapid mechanical pulses
- Low-frequency ground vibration
- Pitch changes as engine speed rises or falls
- Sound reflected by trees, fences, and buildings
During a major emergence, cicadas are already surrounded by intense sound. An added mechanical noise simply becomes part of that confusing acoustic environment. I would not describe this as cicadas “loving” your mower—some cicadas misinterpret the noise and investigate, which is confusion, not affection or aggression.
The effect is far more noticeable when thousands of adults are active. High local populations plus strong mating-season responsiveness to sound mean a mower becomes one more loud signal in an already noisy yard.
Step 2: Identify Whether the Mower Is Actually Attracting Cicadas
Observe before, during, and after mowing. Watch the area for about five minutes before starting. Note whether cicadas are already flying between trees, sitting in the grass, or landing on equipment.
Signs the mower noise is influencing them:
- Cicadas approach shortly after the engine starts
- Activity increases when the engine runs at full throttle
- Cicadas circle or land on the mower handle
- They land on the operator more often while the mower runs
- Activity drops noticeably after the engine stops
- The same pattern repeats over several mowing sessions
Signs the activity is probably coincidental:
- Cicadas are equally active before and after mowing
- Adults are emerging directly from soil across the lawn
- Insects cover trees, sheds, fences, and vehicles alike
- They show no change in direction when the engine starts
A cicada sitting on a nearby tree before mowing is not evidence of attraction. Neither is finding empty cicada shells on a mower stored outdoors.
Step 3: Mow Safely During Cicada Season
Keep both hands on the controls and resist the instinct to swat at cicadas near the deck or handle. A startled reaction is the real safety risk here—not the insect. If one lands on you, brush it off gently or let it fly away on its own.
💡 Pro Tip: Mow in the early morning when temperatures are cooler. Cicadas are less active in lower heat, and you’ll finish before peak chorus hours.
⚠️ Warning: Never reach toward the blade deck, engine, exhaust, or moving components to remove a cicada. Shut the engine off, wait for the blade to stop completely, then use a soft brush.
Step 4: Reduce Cicada Attention on Future Mows
- Mow early in the morning or on cooler, overcast days when chorus activity is lowest.
- Avoid peak emergence days — check local periodical cicada maps and skip mowing during the first weeks of a mass emergence.
- Use a quieter machine — electric and battery mowers, or manual reel mowers, produce less of the pulse-and-vibration profile that triggers a response.
- Avoid prolonged idling — a steady, loud engine note held at full speed is more likely to draw investigation than short bursts of operation.
💡 Pro Tip: If you must mow during peak emergence, split the lawn into sections and let the engine cool between passes. Less continuous noise means fewer curious visitors.
Common Mistakes & Troubleshooting
Mistake 1: Swatting at cicadas while the mower is running. This is the most common cause of accidents during emergence season. Taking a hand off the controls mid-turn can pull you off balance or toward the deck. Fix: Stop the machine completely before removing any insect, and never reach near the blade housing.
Mistake 2: Assuming cicadas damage the mower. Cicadas don’t chew wiring, nest in engines, or feed on equipment. They may rest on warm plastic surfaces briefly, then leave. Fix: Brush them off gently; no pest control product is needed around the mower.
Mistake 3: Spraying insecticide to “fix” the attraction. Killing cicadas doesn’t stop the mower noise that draws them, and it harms beneficial insects and pollinators in the process. Fix: Change timing and equipment instead of chemicals—the attraction is acoustic, not biological.
Mistake 4: Misreading coincidence as attraction. During a mass emergence, random flight alone puts cicadas everywhere—on cars, sheds, and fences too. Fix: Use the before/during/after observation test in Step 2 before concluding your mower is the cause.
Mistake 5: Mowing at peak chorus hours with no hearing protection. Layered cicada noise plus engine noise pushes total exposure well past safe levels for extended sessions. Fix: Wear ear muffs or plugs any time you mow during emergence, and shift mowing to early morning when possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cicadas attracted to lawn mowers more than to other machines?
Gas-powered mowers tend to provoke the strongest response because their engine tone, pulse rate, and vibration most closely overlap with elements of a cicada chorus. Quieter electric, battery, and reel mowers generally attract far less attention.
Do cicadas bite or sting if they land on me while mowing?
No. Cicadas neither bite nor sting. They have a straw-like mouthpart designed for drinking plant sap, and it is not used defensively. A cicada landing on you is harmless confusion—the insect mistook your mower’s noise for a chorus.
Why do cicadas seem to follow my mower around the yard?
The mower is a moving sound source, so cicadas that locked onto the noise may reorient as you travel. During large emergences, this can look like the mower is being “followed,” when it’s actually several cicadas independently investigating the same signal.
Is it safe to mow during a periodical cicada emergence?
Yes, with precautions: wear hearing protection, keep both hands on the controls, stop the engine before removing insects, and mow early in the day. The main risks are distraction and startled reactions, not the cicadas themselves.
Can cicadas damage my lawn mower?
No. Cicadas don’t chew, burrow into, or feed on equipment. At most, a few may rest on warm surfaces briefly. Clear them with a soft brush before storage, and no further action is needed.
How long will cicadas be attracted to my mower?
Only for the adult flight period—typically three to four weeks for annual cicadas, and about four to six weeks for a periodical brood emergence. Once adults die off, the behavior disappears entirely until the next emergence.
