Cicada celebration! Sightings of insects emerging in Chicago suburbs
CHICAGO (CBS) — The countdown is over.
Cicadas have started popping out of the soil in the Chicago area. Maybe you've seen one in your yard or neighborhood.
Or maybe you've seen the netting to protect small trees.
With the first few cicadas starting to pop out of soil hotspots, for some -- the real work begins.
Starting to pop through the grass at Morton Arboretum, it took only moments to find a cicada.
"We have an adult! He has a damaged wing. That's why he's not flying," said Adams.
Then another, and another until Plant Health Care Leader Stephanie Adams had her hands full.
She's been monitoring the soil temperature near an oak that cicadas like to use as a host tree, and one with full sun, and 64° is the magical number.
She expected this would be one of the first places she'd find them, first seeing exoskeletons and now full adults. It's one way they've been preparing for the emergence.
"So we have netted close to about 550 trees. And some of these, you know, are rare and endangered species. There may be three growing in North America, and we are privileged to have one," Adams said.
Adams said she went through the center's data from the last emergence to see what plants may have been impacted by the cicadas 17 years ago.
"This looks like it is one species. You can actually check their abdomen, and you can speciate them. Look at his belly," Adams said.
Adams said tree owners should net any small trees with trunks less than two inches in diameter since the females can damage them as they lay up to 600 eggs.
"You have a mature oak or maple or anything like that, don't worry about it. It is fine. They are native insects. They have evolved together," Adams said.
Adams said these cicadas will only live a month, hoping to collect more information on them while they're here.
"You can really pick them up and look at how beautiful their bodies are and how intricate their wings are and really appreciate nature," Adams said.
The information they collect at Morton Arboretum during this emergence will be used in 17 years to inform their decisions for the next one.
By the way, cicadas do not bite and are not toxic to pets.
