It's the most wonderful time of the year — for cicadas. The next notable brood is set to rise from their 17-year slumber beneath the soil in less than two weeks.
Brood XIV is the second-largest cicada group after Brood XIX, according to the University of Connecticut's research collections on periodical cicadas.
The brood was first reported in 1634, with its last emergence in 2008. This brood will likely peak in mid-May, emerging in more than a dozen states, including Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.
The map below, from cicada expert Dr. Gene Kritsky of Mount St. Joseph University, shows where Brood XIV cicadas have emerged and where they likely will re-emerge this year.
The Scripps News Group in Cincinnati talked to Kritsky, a professor emeritus of biology, who has researched periodical cicadas for 50 years. He also created a website and app, Cicada Safari, to monitor cicadas and create maps showing where each brood emerges.
Kritsky has a formula he uses to predict the date of emergence, and he said we are less than two weeks away from hearing the insufferable buzz of the brood.
"It has a 90% accuracy, so I'm very confident of when we'll start to see and hear cicadas," Kritsky said.
So, when is that date? May 12, give or take 48 hours.
Watch: Learn more about cicadas and their emergence with Dr. Kritsky.
While they may be loud, scientists note that cicadas are not dangerous to their environment and cannot bite or sting. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said cicadas are also not dangerous to your pets. At a maximum, the EPA says your dog or cat could get an upset stomach if they eat too many cicadas.
And if you're wondering why cicadas make such loud noises, blame the men. Only the males "sing" to attract females.
