MISSOURI, USA — Editor's note: This article was originally published on May 6. Peak emergence in Missouri has since begun.
Reports are trickling in from across the entire state of Missouri as the early risers of this year's periodical cicada emergence dig their way out of the ground.
Over 300 pictures of Missouri cicadas have been posted to the Cicada Safari citizen scientist app. A video shared by 5 On Your Side viewer Christine Grabish shows a tree in Chesterfield's Forest Hills Country Club crawling with cicadas and their husks.
Despite the reports, Missouri and southern Illinois' large cicada Brood XIX emergence has yet to officially begin, according to multiple cicada experts.
An easy indicator: The area is only seeing hundreds of cicadas rather than millions.
"Reports are few, so the large emergence ... has yet to begin," said Gene Kritsky, an entomologist at Mount St. Joseph University in Ohio and Cicada Safari's creator.
Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Forest Entomologist Robbie Doerhoff agrees and told 5 On Your Side that people aren't seeing a lot of cicadas yet, with the highest concentration being in the Bonne Terre area. She also shared what people can expect once peak emergence does start.
"[Cicadas] stick around about 6 weeks after emergence begins," Doerhoff said. "Should be gone by late June, but that’s somewhat weather-dependent."
Another indicator that emergence has officially arrived is fine twigs on trees turning brown caused by female cicada egg laying, according to Doerhoff. The egg laying will not affect healthy trees.
MDC is scheduled to hold a "Cicadapocalypse" webcast on May 23 with more details on what Missourians can expect. Click here to learn more.
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