The Cicadas are Coming to Lemont: WHAT TO KNOW AND How To Handle IT
Photo Credit: Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times
After a 17-year hiatus, the cicada brood will be returning throughout Cook County and northern Illinois. You’ll find some celebratory festivals around town marking this occasion but for the everyday Lemonter who’s ready to get outside and explore, we thought we’d put together best practices and other things to do.
In a conversation with the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Negin Almassi of resource management shared, “Like the solar eclipse, this is a natural phenomenon to experience and document, not be scared of. The cicadas won’t be apocalyptic, or louder than what we heard 17 years ago.”
Here are some things to know about cicadas:
They won’t bite you, sting you, or harm any other household pets or animals. They’re quite docile creatures who are looking for a mate.
They’re slowly making their way to Lemont. After spending the first 17 years of their lives in a 'nymph’ phase below the soil, they rise above ground when the ground temperature reaches 64 degrees or higher.
Love is quite literally in the air and on the tree. The goal of their 10-day lives above ground is to find a mate. The males are singing to their prospective partners which amounts to the loud noise you’ll hear. They’ll breed, lay their eggs in the bark of trees, and their future cicada children will find their way into the ground about 6 weeks later.
They are safe for animals to eat. Of course, the animal kingdom has a plan for cicadas and it doesn’t involve your pesticides. Squirrels, Chipmunks, Rabbits, Robins, and every your dog may find themselves feasting on the tiny critters in the next coming weeks. It’s 100% safe — especially if they haven’t been sprayed with insecticide or pesticides. The goal is that the mightiest of all new Cicada babies makes it underground to start their 17-year lifecycle.
How to DEAL with Cicadas
Participate in Research Studies: Forest Preserves of Cook County will be calling upon community scientists to participate in a sound mapping project to record their cacophonous mating calls to help understand the range, abundance and patterns of their sounds. Find a research partner at the end of this article.
Protect your newly planted saplings. Homeowners who would like to protect their newly planted saplings and young trees can place netting with holes no more than ¼-inch wide over i
Did we mention no pesticides? They won’t work and since cicadas are a popular protein for animals, you’ll be harming them.
Throw a party! If you can’t beat them, join them. Consider throwing a block party in celebration of the 17-year cycle and helping future generations mark the occasion with crafts, pictures, or music.
We hope you enjoy this monumental time in and around Lemont. For more exploring, check out our local Hiking Guide or Summer Camping Guide.
Additional Resources
Ramos, E. (2024, May 15). The cicadas are coming! and you should hear them, not fear them. Forest Preserves of Cook County. https://fpdcc.com/the-cicadas-are-coming-and-you-should-hear-them-not-fear-them/
Ramos, E. (2024a, May 15). Help the forest preserves “map” the sounds of cicadas. Forest Preserves of Cook County. https://fpdcc.com/help-the-forest-preserves-map-the-sounds-of-cicadas/
