Muskingum County to see no Emergence in Cicadas this year

MUSKINGUM COUNTY, Ohio- Cicadas are starting to appear as the weather warms up, however, Muskingum County will not see an emergence until 2033.

The brood that’s emerging this year will be seen in the north western part of Ohio, over the Indiana border and down to Cincinnati. The far western part of Licking County may see a little bit of them.

“It’s not something that we have to worry about here in East Central Ohio this year… I think there’s 12 or 13 different broods that are stretched across the Eastern United States. So,  Ohio really the majority of it is in three. There is a small portion in north eastern Ohio that has another portion of brood that come there from Pennsylvania. They only emerge every 17 years,” Muskingum Soil and Water Forest and Agriculture Specialist Robert Boehle said.

When cicadas do emerge, they tend to stick around in high places and on tall structures. Despite the cicadas’ loud noises and annoyance, they are harmless and are usually around for just a few weeks.

“They’re not a concern. They’re not a danger. Your dog eating them isn’t going to hurt anything. They’re just another protein source,” Boehle said.

The Muskingum County’s last cicada emergence was in 2016.