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Environment and sustainability

The Cicadas are Back: April 2021

Cincinnati is one of the hot spots for the cicadas who plan to appear sometime between May and June according to Gene Kritsky, an entomologist at The College of Mount St Joseph. Many of us have memories from 2004 or 1987 when not only did the cicadas cover car windshields obstructing the driver’s view, but the male cicada’s mating song drowned out flying jet planes! Cicadas have been hiding underground since 2004. They make their way to the surface once the soil reaches 64 degrees. Their job is to mate, lay eggs on tree branches and then die. They are really harmless. They don’t bite or sting and they are not poisonous. But they are a nuisance! Their underground tunnels aerate the soil; their dead bodies can be nourishment for some trees. And they are a food source for many animals. Moles are having exquisite buffets right now with cicadas as the main entrée!

Be aware of the cicada return. Prepare for them, and don’t freak out. Let them do their thing. They will only be a pest for about 6 weeks. Then you can return to your “COVID Normal”!

Kimya Moyo, Health Liaison

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