Absolute Vorticity

Hi all! Gina had a great idea to have a separate thread created to track the cicadas this year since it has been 17 years since the last massive invasion. Let's use this thread for that discussion as well as tracking, pics, etc.

Man I remember that last invasion like it was yesterday. Hopefully this time around won't be as bad.

I remember it also. It was so loud you couldn't hear! I was working in Ft. Wright, KY at the time. IMBY it wasn't too bad actually.

I haven't heard or seen cicadas in years, not even in my part of Greenville. Amazing that cycle of nature every 17 years!

I remember several years ago on the show "Sunday Morning" at their website, then contributing reporter Bill Guise did a feature on cicadas and there would even be festivals with cicada accompanied food like chocolate covered cicadas, cicadas w/ mashed potatoes i.e. etc.

Well aren't we lucky - we seem to be in a "multiple broods" zone! LOL

I am in a cicada free zone LOL That map looks pretty good to me. I get some but not nearly as much as other areas of the Tri-state,

Entomologist quote,


What we know is that when soil temperatures reach roughly 64 degrees Fahrenheit at a depth of about a foot or 18 inches, that is the signal -- that’s Mother Nature's clue -- that the world is now warm enough for cicadas to get up and out of the ground," Raupp said. That temperature is crucial for cicadas because by that point, leaves will have sprouted on tree branches -- something needed for egg laying, he added. "That’s basically their environmental cue that the world is now warm enough to get out of the ground and do the business that cicadas are gonna do."

A lot of the trees here have buds and they will be popping soon with all of the rain we are going to be receiving. The cool snap though coming in the long term, if correct, might slow that process down a bit.

tron777 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 8:05 am I am in a cicada free zone LOL That map looks pretty good to me. I get some but not nearly as much as other areas of the Tri-state,

From my experience, Hamilton County has a large population compared to so.e nearby counties. Imby , there are plenty bit nothing compared to Hamilton

Bgoney wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 8:13 am

tron777 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 8:05 am I am in a cicada free zone LOL That map looks pretty good to me. I get some but not nearly as much as other areas of the Tri-state,

From my experience, Hamilton County has a large population compared to so.e nearby counties. Imby , there are plenty bit nothing compared to Hamilton

I remember Downtown Cincy having a good population also like by the P&G Towers, Fountain Square, etc. Some of the older neighborhoods where the ground hasn't been disturbed due to home building or construction, etc. Here in Boone co. it won't be too bad because of all of the construction and economic development that has been going on (and continues to go on) in the last decade or so. Ft. Mitchell in Kenton Co had a good population too the last time. I was in college and remember it well. Same with Ft. Wright.

I did not realize NKY might get a lot less. Hurray, if it's true.

Hey Les!! Thanks for opening a thread for the invasion!!! Already some great discussions. Thanks for that map, Bgoney! I'm just fascinated with the whole thing and really, 17 years ago, this year seemed so far away and yep, I'm excited it's here.
We have a big oak in our front yard and I remember it was quite a busy place back then. We live in an older neighborhood, our house is the newest built in 1976 so I recall it got pretty noisy around here. It will be fun too as my son doesn't really remember much about them so a new experience for him.
One note for folks to keep in mind is that especially newer trees can be vulnerable to the egg laying process. I remember seeing lots of natural pruning on trees after the cicadas laid their eggs and died off. The smaller branches, I think, are actually slit and the eggs are laid in the slits. So newer trees are particularly vulnerable.
Thanks again for starting the thread, Les. It's going to be fun to watch!

You're quite welcome, Gina! :grin:

Anyone else seeing the holes in the ground? Over the last week or so I've seen several and I'm pretty sure I heard that the ground temp is in the range for their emergence. After the rain we're getting I'd start watching for them over the next week. There has been a lot of talk in local media lately too. I'll be glad when they are out of the ground and maybe the moles will settle down after feasting on the nymphs! Saw a new trail the other day under our oak. Mark set the traps and let's just say the mole enjoyed it's last meal. Going to put some netting over a new forest pansy redbud we planted last year. It's looking beautiful and we want to keep it that way.

My folks and myself moved back to Ohio in July 2013. I don't have any recollection at all even when we had our 2 Sugar Maples on our property of hearing or seeing any cicadas and none even near our property from neighbors' trees areas. But then again they emerge only every 17 years. The last time I was aware of cicadas activity was during my childhood in Cincy and / or in Hamilton. I don't even recall ever seeing or hearing any cicadas while living several years in NC.

So if one's property no longer has any trees, is that then a deterrent of probably not hearing or seeing any nearby? Except for possibly a neighboring property that has some trees?

No sign of them here but due to fertilizers and weed treatments, I may not have many imby.

That’s a good question Eric. I’m no cicada expert but my thought on that is that if there were trees there 17 years ago, there will still be cicadas emerging. I guess any eggs that were laid could have been displaced and destroyed if stumps were ground out. Like I said, not an expert just a curious nature lover. Lol

Made this a global announcement as it’s about time for things to start cranking up!

Seen reports as close as LOU as of late so it should be really any day now.

Haven’t seen much activity yet here in Deer Park but it’s coming.

For those who have dogs and when the peak of cicadas really get going in the Tri-state and Miami Valley, when your dog is outside, if possible, try (somehow) to make sure your furry companion doesn't ingest any of those insects, as I heard today that cicadas i.e. can upset a dog's stomach.

First sighting here in Deer Park at the house. My brother took this as he was leaving for work.

Nice Trev! Nothing here yet but I fear the numbers will be low here. Your area should be pretty noisy I would think.

Saw my first one last night as a nymph and then this morning saw some empty shells and an actual cicada...