Cicadas: Major emergence anticipated this weekend
DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. — There have been sightings, but this weekend could be a big one in terms of the visible population of cicadas.
“It’s kind of the early birds to the party that are coming out now,” said Jennifer Rydzewski of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. “I think with the warm weather this weekend there’s going to be a bigger emergence of a lot of them at once.”
In Illinois, two broods of periodical cicadas are coming out. In central and southern Illinois, its the 13-year cicadas. In central and northern Illinois, it’s the 17-year cicadas. Combined, it’ll mean millions to billions of the noisy insects in our midst.
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Rydzewski and her team are using the highly anticipated invasion as a teaching moment, creating a video complete with costumes meant to educate and change people’s perspectives of cicadas.
“If we can spread the message that cicadas and all other insects and everything that’s in this natural is all part of making a healthy ecosystem, and it all functions together, that’s our goal,” she said.
Hundreds of the red-eyed bugs were already visible Friday in the grass in far west suburban Wheaton. And their growing numbers brings growing anticipation.
“I’m kind of excited to see what it’s like,” said Wheaton resident Lauri Malee.
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Wheaton resident Greg Bricknell said he recalls seeing people shoveling them like snow the last time the 17-year brood emerged and was eagerly awaiting for the newest arrivals. He woke up Friday and was surprised to see what looked like hundreds of them hanging out on an exterior wall.
“I think at this point it’s about embracing it,” he said. “The noise hasn’t come yet, but I know that’s something that people are saying is bothersome.”
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In addition to Wheaton, WGN on Friday spotted them in Addison and in LaGrange. And there were even more laying low in the grass at the Mayslake Nature Preserve in Oak Brook.
Once they emerge, cicadas will only live for about four to six weeks. And while they may be creepy looking to some, they’re harmless and do not bite nor sting.
The emergence of billions of buzzing, clicking cicadas is underway. In northern Illinois, we’re seeing the Brood XIII of periodical cicadas that were born in 2007. Another variety, Brood XIX, is emerging in central and southern parts of the state. Thomas Jefferson was president when the two broods last emerged together in 1803.
WGN has what you should know about cicadas and your home, your kids, your pets, and your garden.
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