Think you’ve heard a lot of cicadas in 2020?
“The big emergence will be in 2024, so in another 4 years.”
Cicadas Emerging to Reproduce
Carl Strang is a former DuPage Forest Preserve District naturalist and now studies regional singing insects.
While this may not be “the year”, the species of cicadas emerging are just 4 years early and follow the same behavioral pattern as those arriving in 2024.
“They sip sap for 17 years and then once they are ready out they come, all at once to reproduce. They’re only up, above the ground for about for 2-3 weeks at the most. They mate, they lay their eggs and they’re done.”
Cicada’s Short Life Span
One of the biggest reasons for their quick demise? Predators – which range from birds, to small, wild animals… to pets.
“They [17 year cicadas] are easy prey. Now the cicadas that we observe late in the summer – they are bigger, they are more alert, they are faster fliers.”
So consider this a warm up for 2024. But even when the swarm arrives, Strang points out – the only danger is to recently planted trees or shrubs… as well as peace and quiet at dusk.
Reporting for Naperville News 17, I’m Kevin Jackman
