Cicadas 2024: Will Ohio be swarmed in event not seen in over 200 years
Cicadas, the ground-dwelling, noise-making, shell-leaving insects are set to emerge across the U.S. this summer in a rare double brood event.
The last time these two broods came out together was 221 years ago. They're not set to emerge together again until 2245, USA Today reported.
But will they make an appearance in the Buckeye state?
Here's what you need to know.
Will Ohio have cicadas this year?
Short answer: Not this year.
Long answer: This year's broods, XIX and XIII will emerge in a combined 17 states across the Midwest and Southeast. These broods are expected to come out in mid-May and stick around until late June, when the bugs reach the end of their life cycles.
The broods will overlap in parts of Iowa and Illinois, meaning even more incessant buzzing and crunchy shells in those regions, USA Today reported.
This year's broods are not in Ohio. The closest cicada zone to the state is in eastern Illinois.
Take a look at this interactive map from USA Today to see the broods for yourself.
What's the deal with cicadas, anyway?
These buzzy insects start their lives as eggs before hatching into nymphs that burrow underground. These nymphs can spend up to 17 years underground before they emerge, shedding their exoskeletons and becoming adults, according to the Encyclopedia Brittanica.
Male adults spend their next few weeks of life furiously buzzing to attract a female mate. Once the bugs get together, the female lays eggs in the ground before dying, starting the cycle again.
What's the difference between periodical and annual broods?
Periodical cicada broods emerge once every 13 or 17 years. 2024's brood XIX and XIII fall into this category. These broods are also the loudest, according to Encyclopedia Brittanica.
Annual cicada broods come out every year during summertime and can live for 2-5 years.
Where will the cicadas emerge?
Although the broods are expected to emerge in at least 17 states, that doesn't mean all areas of every affected state will see them. A majority of Missouri counties will see Brood XIX, but only a few counties in states like Louisiana, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee may see any cicadas.
Brood XIX is the more widespread, with cicadas emerging from Oklahoma to Alabama and North Carolina.
The broods (Brood XIX and Brood XIII) will emerge in the following states:
Alabama
Arkansas
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Wisconsin
Virginia
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Cicadas 2024: When and where 2 broods are emerging this spring
