Cicadas set to make loud arrival in Chicago area, residents urged to take precautions

CHICAGO - With "Cicada-geddon" just weeks away, residents are bracing for the impending invasion while considering measures to deter the pests from lingering.

For many Chicagoans who rarely hear planes overhead unless they reside near Midway or O'Hare airports, a change is on the horizon. This year, the city is set to experience a rare double dose of cicadas, whose loud chorus rivals the roar of jet engines.

Robi Smith, from R.B. Pest Solutions, accustomed to tracking critters in Chicago alleys, is now gearing up to tally the cacophony of cicada calls as they prepare to emerge from the ground this spring.

These periodical cicadas typically emerge from their underground hideouts when the ground temperature reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit, a phenomenon occurring earlier than usual due to climate change.

Unlike locusts, which feed on plants, periodical cicadas have a penchant for small branches. While most trees are spared, Smith recommends maintaining lawns vigilantly.

"Make sure that landscaping and our shrubs are cut as low as possible, because that's the perfect way to detect if they're there," Smith advised.

Using insecticide is not advisable due to the cicadas' role in the ecosystem as a food source for wildlife, including family pets.

Considering their short-lived presence, cicadas are expected to return in 2037.