You may have already seen them attaching themselves to your house, garage and even car tires, but has the weather impacted the rise of Brood XIV cicadas in Cincinnati?This past week saw lower than average temperatures, leading some to wonder if it will impact how many neighborhoods will see this year.We asked world renowned cicada expert Dr. Gene Kritsky who said weather does play a role in cicadas emergence and how fast they reach their peak.Kritsky said the cooler temperatures did slow down the emergence, and it also quieted them down as well. " We need sunny days and warmer temperatures to get things going," Kritsky said. WHAT IS BROOD XIV?Periodical cicadas, as they're known, spend most of their lives underground. In the spring of their 13th or 17th year (in this case 17th), they will emerge synchronously en masse.Amorous males attract mates by rapidly vibrating drumlike tymbals on the sides of their abdomen to produce sound. They’ll shed their exoskeletons, attach themselves to branches, mate and lay eggs before dying off in about six weeks.The hatched nymphs then will drop off the trees and burrow underground to live for another 17 years, and the cycle repeats.It's a natural cycle that cicadas have followed for thousands of years.Areas hit will include Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Gallia, Hamilton, Highland, Ross and Warren counties.HOW LONG WILL THEY BE AROUND?They're out now. But look for cicadas to peak in late May and June.Kritsky says that's because they emerge from the ground when the soil hits temperatures of 64 degrees. So since our springs have been warmer over the last few decades, they're coming out now, between two and two and a half weeks earlier than they did in the early part of 20th century.Their lifespan is four to six weeks above ground, and they'll begin to die off in late June and into July.But there may be a few stragglers that linger far into the summer.Remember, they don't all emerge at once — so we're not talking six weeks and done.They'll be mostly gone by mid-July.HOW MANY ARE WE TALKING?Millions, if not billions, of cicadas are emerging across 14 states, including Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS WILL SEE THE MOST?Gene Kritsky tells WLWT that those who live along the Interstate 71 corridor and east have a chance of seeing periodical cicadas in good numbers, and that will continue most of the way to Portsmouth.Those on the west side might find an area that has five or six emerging, or it could be half a dozen or so popping up here and there, but nothing like we saw in 2021.WHEN WILL THEY START SINGING?Kritsky said cicadas start singing five days after they emerge, and as they grow, the calling gets louder and louder.How loud do cicadas get? Kritsky said the loudest he's measured was around a 102 decibels. And to put that in perspective, jets flying into northern Kentucky, they're around 80 decibels. So A big massive emergence will overwhelm even, jet aircraft noise.WHAT OTHER STATES WILL THEY BE IN?In addition to Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, Brood XIV will also emerge in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Maryland, North Carolina, among others.DO THEY STING?No.They’re relatively harmless to living things.Cicadas are mainly a nuisance, flying into windshields and littering homes with tiny carcasses.WHAT ABOUT MY PLANTS?Kritsky said while they will emerge on trees, walls and even your tires, they shouldn't pose a threat to your garden or home.HOW CAN YOU HELP?Kritsky helped developed a way for anyone to help scientists track and map cicadas — and they need your help.He helped develop the Cicada Safari app.It allows users to search, photograph, video and help map the cicadas, which will contribute to vital scientific research by determining the distribution of the brood of the emerging cicadas. Such information will enable scientists to assess the status of Brood XIV cicadas.To join Cicada Safari, download the free app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. When a cicada is spotted, users can use the app to photograph or video the insects and then submit the images for inclusion in the cicada map.Kritsky and the Mount have also launched the CicadaSafari.org website, which offers a virtual trove of cicada facts, history, facts, maps and activities.