Cincinnati will likely be swarming with cicadas by the second week of May. The Brood XIV (14) bugs will be the latest brood of 17-year cicadas to emerge, making Cincinnati, Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana their temporary home.
Will Ohio see two cicada broods this year, just like last year’s emergence in the Midwest? Here’s what to know.
Will there be two cicada broods in Cincinnati and the rest of Ohio this year?
Whether or not you enjoy this biological phenomenon, only one brood of cicadas will pop out this year. Not two, like last year, according to Cicada Mania.
In 2024, two periodical broods appeared. Brood XIX, which has a 13-year life cycle, and Brood XIII, which has a 17-year life cycle overlapped in parts of the Midwest last year.
How long will the cicadas be around in Ohio in 2025?
The lifespan of cicadas depends on their brood and whether they are annual or periodical species.
Brood XIV is one of 15 recognized broods of periodical cicadas that emerge every 13 or 17 years after living as nymphs underground. It is also one of four broods that appear in the Buckeye State.
Once male and female periodical cicadas have mated and the latter has laid eggs, the insects die after spending only a few weeks above ground. That can be anywhere from three to six weeks after first emerging.
What states will see cicadas in 2025?
The Brood XIV cicadas won’t just be crawling and flying around Ohio this summer. If you plan to take a summer vacation in another state, you may find them in:
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Will Ohio see 2 cicada broods this year? What to know about 2025 emergence