MISSOURI, USA — Missouri's entomologists are waiting patiently for the state's soil around eight inches below our feet to hit 64 degrees. When that happens, Missouri will see its largest cicada reemergence in years.
The news, however, isn't exciting to everyone.
When Brood X cicadas emerged in East Coast states in 2021, numerous news outlets reported widespread fear of the bugs. Entomophobia, or the fear of insects, is one of the most common phobias in the U.S., according to researchers from Ohio State University.
"Just the thought of billions of cicadas tunneling their way up to the surface is enough to seriously creep out people — some to the point where they won’t go in their backyard or to a park," said psychiatry researcher Katherine Brownlowe in a 2021 university article.
Numerous Missourians also have this fear. To prepare for the upcoming reemergence, some have asked where in the St. Louis area would have the least amount of the bugs. State Forest Entomologist Robbie Doerhoff with the Missouri Department of Conservation, unfortunately, didn't have encouraging news for those with entomophobia.
"I don’t have any information on cicada population levels around the greater St. Louis area," Doerhoff said. "I honestly don’t know if anybody knows that … if anyone even mapped them that closely in 2011."
In general, Doerhoff said cicadas will be in lower numbers in places with more pavement put down and more construction and development put up over the past 20 years. Additionally, areas that have had large tree removals will also see fewer cicadas since the insect burrows under tree roots before reemerging.
While there's not much research on cicada population locations in the St. Louis area, Doerhoff did have some information about Missouri at large.
"The areas of Missouri that will see no cicadas this year are the Bootheel and the northwest corner of the state," Doerhoff said.
If St. Louisians are looking to fully escape the coming cicada emergence, they may have to take a six-week trip to St. Joseph or New Madrid. Otherwise, the best advice would be to stay in densely urban areas away from trees.
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