The cicadas will begin to emerge from eight inches beneath the ground typically between late-April and mid-May, according to the ODNR.
The average soil temperature has yet to reach 60° F in western Ohio this year, Ohio State University data shows.
Today’s high air temperature in Dayton is expected to be 73° F with a low of 53° F, according to the National Weather Service.
Highs Tuesday through Thursday are forecast to range from 72° F to 82° F with lows expected from 47° F to 61° F.
Cicadas can be a nuisance in yards, but they are not aggressive and are harmless to people and pets, the ODNR states. Dogs or cats that ingest too many cicadas may experience stomach-upset resulting in vomiting, but cicadas are not toxic.
Pesticides and repellents are largely ineffective on periodical cicadas and are not warranted or recommended, according to the ODNR.
Delaying planting of trees and shrubs until after periodical cicadas are gone may be advisable. For newly planted trees and shrubs, netting or cheesecloth placed over them can help protect them from cicada damage, according to the state.
The last time Brood X emerged was in 2004 and were most numerous in southwest Ohio in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas, the ODNR said.
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