10-04-2025
Cincinnati, get ready for cicadas. 17-year brood to invade soon. See the map
Cincinnati, are you ready for an invasion this spring? No, it's not "The Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati," but it's just as buggy — cicadas.
Brood XIV, last seen 17 years ago, will emerge this spring, and Southwest Ohio is a target. Here's what to know.
Brood XIV is one of 15 recognized broods of periodical cicadas that emerge every 13 or 17 years, and one of four that appear in the Buckeye State, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. They emerge when the soil temperature reaches 64 degrees, which typically happens in the second half of May.
Annual cicadas emerge around the world each year, but periodical cicadas are found only in eastern North America. They live underground as nymphs for either 13 or 17 years before emerging above ground in massive numbers. Different populations of periodical cicadas are called 'broods' and are numbered with Roman numerals.
"We encourage everyone to take this unique opportunity to appreciate and learn more about these fascinating native forest insects and their value in naturally functioning ecosystems," said Tom Macy, forest health program manager for the ODNR Division of Forestry.
They are active for three to four weeks as they focus on mating and reproduction, per ODNR. Male periodical cicadas produce a deafening chorus of calls to attract females. Once mated, female cicadas deposit their eggs into the branches of trees and shrubs.
Brood XIV cicadas will stretch from northern Georgia to Massachusetts. In Ohio, they will emerge in a more than dozen counties, per ODNR, mostly in Southwest Ohio:
Adams
Brown
Butler
Champaign
Clermont
Clinton
Gallia
Greene
Hamilton
Highland
Jackson
Lawrence
Pike
Ross
Scioto
Warren
Washington
Some of the edge counties will not see as heavy an emergence as others.
While swarms of noisy insects may be unsettling for some, cicadas are harmless to people and pets, according to ODNR. They are also a valuable food source for native wildlife, including birds, mammals and fish.
While egg-laying by female cicadas can cause 'flagging' on trees and shrubs (death of branch tips, from the egg-laying site to the end of the branch), there is little to no impact on established, otherwise healthy plants, ODNR states. Small or newly planted trees and shrubs are more vulnerable to damage and can be protected by covering them with fine netting for the few weeks that adult cicadas are active. Using pesticides on cicadas is not warranted or recommended.
States expecting cicadas this year include Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, Gene Kritsky, founder of Cicada Safari, a group that crowdsources and reviews data on cicadas, told USA TODAY.
Kentucky and Tennessee probably will get the most cicadas this year, said John Cooley, an ecology and biology associate professor in residence at the University of Connecticut. There will also be large numbers in Georgia, the Carolinas and Pennsylvania, he said.
Kritsky collects data on cicadas through Cicada Safari. He encourages parents and guardians to talk to their children about cicadas and try out some of the activities he has listed on his website.
'If you're lucky enough to live in an area where the cicadas are and you've got kids, take them outside during the night,' he told USA TODAY. 'Let them see this. This is a once-in-a-generation activity. They'll never forget it.'
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cicadas 2025: When, where Brood XIV will emerge in Ohio. See the map
