02/04/2024
🌳🎵 Get Ready for a Rare Natural Symphony! 🎵🌳
This spring, Missouri is set for an extraordinary natural phenomenon. Billions of cicadas from Broods XIII and XIX are emerging together, a spectacle not seen since 1803 and not to be repeated for another 221 years!
Unique Event:
• Historic Convergence: These two broods last emerged together during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, decades before Missouri statehood. This is truly a historic event, as noted by Tamra Reall, a horticulturist and entomologist at the University of Missouri Extension, also known as “Dr. Bug.”
• Magic in the Air: Belonging to the genus Magicicada, these periodical cicadas have the longest known insect life cycle and are expected to emerge in 18 Midwestern states, including Missouri.
What Missouri Will Witness:
• Brood XIX: The Great Southern Brood, last seen in Missouri in 2011, will be the main spectacle for most of the state. Expect their emergence in late April to early May.
• Brood XIII: The Northern Illinois Brood, with a 17-year cycle, may also be seen and heard in northeastern Missouri near the Illinois border.
Life Cycle and Impact:
• After 13 or 17 years underground, cicadas emerge when the soil warms to 64 degrees. They swarm trees and other vertical structures to shed their skins and begin their brief adult life.
• Their song is nature’s loud symphony, with male mating calls as loud as lawnmowers or even jet engines.
• Despite their noisy and messy presence, cicadas are harmless to humans and pets. They don’t sting or bite, and their massive emergence (up to 1.5 million per acre!) provides a feast for local wildlife.
Hometown Pest Solutions - Your Guide Through the Buzz:
While cicadas pose no threat, their overwhelming numbers can be a concern. If you need guidance or assistance, Hometown Pest Solutions is here for you.
🌐 Visit us at: hometownpestsolutions.net
📞 Call us: 636.297.1335
📧 Email: [email protected]
Hometown Pest Solutions - Your Partner in Pest Free Living
