Cicada Check-In: Parts of Michiana to be pestered soon

 

The big temperature swings of early spring appear to be in Michiana's rear-view mirror as May begins Wednesday. High temperatures should remain in the 70s and 80s for the next week.

But for some across Michiana, the warmer weather comes with a cost: cicadas. 

Brood XIII will begin to emerge in parts of LaPorte county in Indiana and in portions of Berrien, Cass, and St. Joseph counties in Michigan soon. Experts tell ABC57 that we can expect to start seeing the bugs by the middle of May. 

The biggest factor as to when the cicadas will come out is the soil temperature. Ground temperatures eight inches below the surface need to be above 64°F before the brood hatches. 

Luckily, Michiana's ground temperatures are still in the upper 50s and low 60s. However, we are likely to see a stretch of above normal temperatures for the start of May. 

Once soil temperatures reach that magic threshold, the bugs often wait for warm rain to make it easier to emerge. The cicadas will then stick around (literally) for about a month before heading back underground or dying.

The cicada countdown is on! 

You can read more on the U.S. Forrest Service's website.