Cicadas are insects known for their distinct sounds. These creatures spend most of their lives hidden underground, emerging for a brief period above the surface. Understanding their emergence patterns in Ohio provides insight into their unique life cycle.
The Two Types of Cicada Emergence
Cicadas exhibit two emergence patterns: annual and periodical. Annual cicadas appear every summer. Periodical cicadas, in contrast, emerge in large, synchronized groups after spending many years underground, on 13-year or 17-year cycles.
Cicada emergence is influenced by environmental cues. Periodical cicada nymphs surface when the soil temperature at about eight inches reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius). This usually occurs in late spring or early summer, depending on regional weather patterns.
Ohio’s Periodical Cicada Broods
Ohio is home to several periodical cicada broods, each with its own emergence schedule. These broods are identified by Roman numerals, marking their 13-year or 17-year cycles.
Brood XIV (14), a 17-year cicada, will emerge in 2025. This brood will primarily affect southwest Ohio counties like Hamilton, Clermont, Butler, and Warren. Brood V (5), a 17-year cicada, last appeared in 2016 and will return in 2033 across the eastern half of the state.
Brood X (10), a 17-year cicada group, last emerged in 2021 and next appears in 2038. Its Ohio range includes western and central regions, from Cincinnati and Dayton north to Defiance County and east to Columbus. Ohio also hosts Brood XXII (22), a 13-year cicada, projected to emerge in 2027.
The Annual Summer Cicadas
Ohio also experiences annual cicada emergences each summer. These are commonly referred to as “dog-day cicadas” due to their appearance during the hottest part of the year. While individual annual cicadas can live for two to five years underground, their life cycles are staggered, ensuring that some adults emerge every year.
These annual visitors typically emerge from late July through September. Unlike their periodical counterparts, which often have black bodies and red eyes, annual cicadas are generally green or brown. Their presence is less dramatic than a periodical emergence, with adults appearing in more modest numbers.
Life Above Ground: What to Expect
Once cicada nymphs burrow to the surface, they undergo a transformation. They climb onto vertical surfaces, such as tree trunks, where they shed their nymphal exoskeletons, a process known as molting. The discarded, often orangish-brown, shells remain as a visual sign of their emergence.
The primary purpose of their adult life above ground is reproduction. Male cicadas produce loud, distinctive calls using specialized organs called tymbals to attract females. These choruses can reach significant decibel levels, sometimes exceeding 90-100 decibels.
After mating, female cicadas lay their eggs in small slits they cut into the branches of trees and shrubs. This egg-laying can sometimes cause minor branch tip dieback, often called “flagging.” Adult cicadas typically live for about four to six weeks above ground before they perish. Their offspring then hatch and burrow into the soil, beginning the long subterranean phase of their life cycle.