ROSS COUNTY, OH — A rare and awe-inspiring natural event is set to unfold this spring across Ross County and much of southwestern Ohio: the emergence of Brood XIV (14) periodical cicadas. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry announced that residents should begin seeing these unique insects by late May, when soil temperatures reach about 64 degrees.
Unlike annual cicadas that appear each summer, periodical cicadas spend either 13 or 17 years underground before surfacing in massive numbers to mate. These particular cicadas belong to Brood XIV, one of 15 known broods in North America, and they haven’t been seen in Ohio since 2008.
Ross County is among more than a dozen counties across the region—including Pike, Jackson, Highland, Scioto, and Clermont—that will witness the emergence. While some edge counties may see fewer insects, central areas like Ross are expected to experience a significant emergence…