Ground in Illinois became a spectacle at night as crawling cicadas made their journey upwards after being underground for 17 years. They congregated towards tree trunks to shed their skin and become adult bugs. This marked the beginning of their activity.

Riding with cicada chaos, the Midwest of America is teeming with these baby bugs. They scatter everywhere, from trees to people’s clothing, even faces, bringing their red eyes and loud noises along.

A Sight to Behold

Biologist Gene Kritsky witnessed this ‘biblical’ view. He was spellbound by millions of cicadas clustered in Ryerson Conservation Area near Chicago. It captivated him with unique happenings he hadn’t seen during his 50 years of tracking periodical cicadas.

This event is uniquely American and is part of a trio of advanced forecasted natural marvels. First came April’s solar eclipse and May’s Northern Lights at unusual southerly latitudes were followed by the huge dual periodical cicada emergence in 2024 not seen since 1803 from under the ground joining the earlier astronomical wonders above.

 The Cicada Males’ Tune

Male cicadas ceaselessly call out for potential female mates, only stopping when females respond with wing flaps signaling approval. Many areas in Illinois recorded sound levels reaching 101 decibels no quieter than a lawnmower emanating constant droning sounds resembling a scene from a science fiction movie filled with alien invasions.

“A Forest Preserve researcher named Jennifer Rydzewski communicates her fascination for these creatures through educational social media posts while she wears a custom-made outfit resembling these insects right down to bulging red eyes created from a 3D printer. She expresses how curious and awe-inspiring the movements of these bugs can be, and even terms them ‘cute’ in spite of their physically jarring appearance.

Young Admirers

Six-year-old Lily Tolley from Springfield is excited about these bugs and even treats her pet lizard Dart with them as a meal. On encountering one near her house, she introduces it very closely towards her doorbell camera. The child can distinguish between male and female cicadas, knows their bodily parts, and how it feels “a little prickly” when one walks on you which she quickly clarifies by saying it doesn’t hurt.

But many people still fear or disgust at the sight of trillions of cicadas that perish soon after reproduction in piles forming an intense odor.

Common Anxieties

“People are commonly afraid of creepy crawly animals,” explains Martin Antony, who leads the psychology department at Toronto Metropolitan University and directs its anxiety research lab. He adds that this fear may have evolutionary origins since people needed to remain alert to dangers in early times. “Cicadas pose no danger but they do share characteristics with other creatures that could potentially threaten or spread diseases”, reflects Antony. ”

Helpful, Not Harmful

The only likely risk posed by cicadas is towards young trees resulting from female cicadas creating cuts on tree branches while laying eggs,” notes Rydzewski. Hence several newly grown trees are covered in white protective nets to safeguard them against these blackwinged insects.

Adult trees were full of cicadas. Marvin Lo, a tree root biologist from Morton Arboretum, explained that cicadas significantly benefit the local ecosystem. They enrich the soil as fertilizer, provide food for birds and other creatures and help aerate earth. Lo was seen collecting dead cicadas to convert them into an odorous powder in his lab for later analysis.

The arboretum was bustling with activity because of the large number of cicadas gripping it. Among them were scientists and bug observers studying these insects with interest. One extraordinary discovery by Associated Press was a rare blueeyed cicada, a rare species found once in a million. Biologist Kritsky also discovered his first blueeyed cicada in Ryerson woods.

His explanation was that since there were countless cicadas swarming the area, even a rare occurrence would happen occasionally due to sheer numbers. He has authored a book on this phenomenon and is still investigating further even though he believes the invasion is waning. He predicted that in approximately two weeks, much of this event will be over remarking on how enjoyable it has been for him so far.

Conclusion

Despite causing pandemonium amongst some people who find it unsettling or weird, this natural event involving hordes of Cicadas has drawn worldwide attention. Many witnesses are awestruck by this unique display by mother nature which they perceive as captivating rather than disturbing. For now, Illinois continues humming with life where Cicadas play their essential role in maintaining balance within the ecosystem.