ST. LOUIS – Residents in Missouri and Illinois can expect to hear lots of buzzing this spring and summer as two cicada broods emerge, according to a release from the University of Missouri Extension.
Two broods that cycle every 13 and 17 years will surface at the same time this year, which hasn’t happened since Thomas Jefferson was president. And it won’t happen again until the year 2245.
While most of Missouri will only hear Brood XIX, or the 13-year cycle brood, parts of Missouri and Illinois could hear and see both broods.
Map courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service
When the soil warms up to 64 F, they will dig their way out of the ground. According to the release, cicadas come out all at once as they take the “safety in numbers” approach.
Up to 1.5 million cicadas per acre are anticipated to be seen or heard after spring rain.
When a male cicada is on the lookout for mating, it can be as loud as a lawnmower, says horticulturist Tamara Reall in Kansas City. The synchronized sound all together can be louder than a jet engine.
Although cicadas can be loud, Reall said they are harmless to humans and pets. However, they can leave behind serious damage to fruit orchards, nursery stock and young trees in landscaping, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Cheesecloth, mosquito netting or mesh netting can be effective for protecting less mature trees.
Emergence is expected in May through June.
