The cicadas are coming
Photo provided by UK Extension Service
Jennifer Moonsong
Central Division
General Manager
Jobe Publishing, Inc.
Kentucky is one of 15 states in the lower 48 which will witness one of nature’s phenomena: Cicadas.
Experts believe in approximately a month (maybe as much as 6 weeks here in the Bluegrass) cicadas will begin to emerge in parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, and West Virginia.
They will begin coming out of the ground after the soil temperature is at least 64 degrees Fahrenheit and usually emerge as the sun sinks low.
They only come out every 17 years, and this batch of cicadas known as Brood X is anticipated to be massive.
Here are things to know about the soon-to-swarm bugs:
They are not dangerous.
They don’t sting or bite.
They are not a threat to crop fields and gardens.
They are very loud. Male cicadas can sound off at over 100 decibels.
They can cause significant damage to young trees. Especially the females who drill holes into branched to lay their eggs.
They can be fascinating and annoying. Although basically harmless, you can expect to see their shells everywhere.
The cicada has the longest life cycle of any insect.
They will arrive in the billions, with as many as a million per acre in certain areas of the country.
