Cicadas in Chicagoland: Why some communities are buzzing while others are silent

CHICAGO - We are finally seeing and hearing the cicadas here in the Chicagoland area. But, you may have noticed they're not everywhere. 

Some communities can't escape the cicadas, while other communities just down the road can't find a single one. 

We talked to an expert from the University of Illinois to get a better understanding of how that's possible. 

Marianne Alleyne, assistant professor with the Department of Entomology at the University of Illinois, said cicadas can be quite patchy, and it depends on where the female cicadas laid their eggs long ago. 

Alleyne said cicadas do not travel like other insects. They may move to a different tree, but otherwise, stay close to where they hatched. 

Newly-developed communities or new construction could also play a role in whether cicadas are able to emerge. 

If trees are cut down and a parking lot or structure is built, they may not be able to come up to the surface. 

Alleyne said that if you're not hearing the cicadas just yet, give them a few more days. Within a few days, the rest of the periodical cicadas should emerge. 

If it's still quiet in your neighborhood, then you may just be able to enjoy some peace and quiet, at least for a while. Then in July, the annual cicadas will emerge.