LISLE, Ill. — If you take great pride in your yard, beware. The emerging cicadas across the Chicago area can damage young and unhealthy trees.
Horticulturalists recommend using light, airy materials — like tulle — to cover young trees, special trees and shrubs.
Here in Illinois, two broods of periodical cicadas will come out at the same time this spring.
In central and southern Illinois, its the 13-year cicadas. In central and northern Illinois, it’s the 17-year cicadas.
While cicadas are loud with their buzzing noises and creepy with their beady red eyes, they’re harmless.
But they do have the potential to damage smaller, younger, vulnerable trees when female cicadas nest and lay their eggs.
Morton Arboretum experts say they have found the first signs of periodical cicadas a week and a half ago. They are ahead of schedule, and they expect the mass emergence in another week — meaning, millions among billions of them will emerge from the ground.
Once they emerge, they are expected to stick around for about four to six weeks.
