Love ’em or loathe ’em, some cicadas appear every year in Illinois. The large, loud insects inspire affection in some people and dread in others.
Last year, the Prairie State was arguably the cicada capital of the United States. The 2024 “cicadapocalypse” in Illinois inspired countless Facebook posts from the masses. This year’s cicada emergence will be far less dramatic.
There are two cicada species found in large numbers in Illinois: dog-day or annual cicadas, which arise from the ground every year, and periodical cicadas that erupt in massive broods every 13 or 17 years. Two periodical broods appeared last year in a rare convergence unseen since 1803. That simultaneous emergence won’t happen again until 2245.
But annual cicadas will be back in Illinois in 2025. Here’s what to know about this year’s cicada outlook.
What are annual cicadas?
Annual − or dog-day − cicadas sound the same as periodical cicadas but look different. Dog-day cicadas are dark green to black with green wing veins. They are larger than periodical cicadas and lack the latter’s distinctive red eyes.
What to expect from annual cicadas in Illinois
Annual cicadas emerge during the heat of summer, usually around July, said Kacie Athey, a specialty crops entomologist with the University of Illinois Extension. Annual cicadas can be seen into September.
Once they arise from the ground, they buzz about and reproduce. The males’ courting songs establish territory and attract females. Cicadas have been called the world’s loudest insect. The song of the males is commonly described as a loud buzzing sound. They also seem to scream and howl. After mating, the females lay eggs in trees and other woody plants.
Despite their size and bug-eyed appearance, annual cicadas don’t bite and they don’t sting. Dog-day cicadas emerge late enough in the growing season that any damage to plants is minimal.
When and where should we expect cicadas in 2025?
While Illinois will experience annual cicadas in 2025, it won’t see a repeat of 2024. The two periodical broods that appeared last year in the Prairie State won’t emerge this year.
Elsewhere, a different brood of periodical cicadas already has begun to appear east of Illinois. Brood XIV, the second-largest periodical cicada brood, began emerging in spring and was expected in 13 states from Massachusetts to Georgia to Indiana.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: What to expect from annual cicadas in Illinois in 2025
Reporting by Dean Muellerleile, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
