17 Year Cicadas Coming Soon!

A warning for the squeamish and a %26#39;heads up%26#39; for nature freaks en route to old Chi town.

Every 17 years, the Chicago areas sees the influx of cyclical cicadas. The last time they came was in 1990 and they were EVERYWHERE. If you%26#39;re travelling to Chi town in the next few months, you%26#39;re in for a veeery strange phenomenon. Personally, I was freaking out until they went away but you may think it%26#39;s pretty cool.

This article on Chicago Wilderness magazine explains what it%26#39;s like.

chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/鈥icadas.html

Don%26#39;t let it put you off travelling, just stay clear of too many trees! :)

IAB

17 Year Cicadas Coming Soon!

Great for any macro photographers, as cicadas are, in my experience, often not exactly quick to flee a camera pointed at them.

17 Year Cicadas Coming Soon!

Yup. Hard to believe it%26#39;s been 17 years already.

The cicadas are BIG and LOUD but they%26#39;re absolutely harmless. They don%26#39;t bite or sting. Their eyes are RED which some people find kind of freaky.

And they make weird, squishy sounds when you accidently step on them. So don%26#39;t accidently step on them. Oh man, I was 12 the last time they were here. Maybe I should break out my big ol%26#39; glasses and braces to celebrate!

Personally, I%26#39;m ever so glad I%26#39;m not living there this year. Last time I was a teenager just barely driving, had the car windows open unthinking and they started to invade ...

EEEEEEEEK!

Crazy symphony, though, the sound is remarkable.

Being from New Orleans and now in Atlanta we are use to the sound. Sort of sounds like the ants from ';Them';. They just showed something like this on Planet Earth, a 17 year cycle or cicadas. When does it start and when does it end? I am coming beginning of June with a group. 1 of the women may have issues with this. If she even hears the word coachroach she has a panic attack. I wonder how she will do with cicadas.

I think they are out for 6 weeks from late May to early July.. I remember the Taste had Chocolate Covered Cicadas that year and I had one.. Wonder if they will do that this year?

I think they are out for 6 weeks from late May to early July. I remember in 1990 the Taste had Chocolate Covered Cicadas at one of the booths.. A bit crunchy, but tasty! Wonder if they will have them again this year. Man time flys...

sorry about the double post... TA site is acting up and thought I lost the first one...

Hmmm methinks you just wanted to get in that %26#39;crunchy but tasty%26#39; bit ;-)

Now I%26#39;m homesick for the Taste!

Mrolfes, not sure how precise you can predict, but I recall it was May / June. My specific memory was from the second week in June (I was en route to an annual event so remember v. clearly the date!)

Maybe someone else has a better estimate?

Gag, I am going to find someplace to go for the next 2 months....