PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - Millions of cicadas have been hibernating in the ground for the last 17 years and they are expected to come out this May/June as the earth’s soil warms up.
“The last time they emerged, about 13 or 17 years ago, most of the big populations were down in Washington, Westmoreland, and Southern Allegheny County,” said Entomologist, Bill Todaro, during an interview with KDKA Radio.
Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina will be hotspots this year, per TODAY.
They will be making a lot of noise in the following weeks, mating and laying eggs, before returning underground.
“The eggs hatch in a couple of days and they drop to the ground; the little tiny nymphs start to burrow in to the soil and they feed on the roots of the trees for another 13 or 17 years,” Todaro added.
Related
Cicadas are not harmful to humans.
Cicadas last made an appearance in 2013 and infested the East Coast and mid-Atlantic regions, the publication noted.
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