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Illinois is hit with cicada chaos. This is what it's like to see, hear and feel billions of bugs
National

Illinois is hit with cicada chaos. This is what it's like to see, hear and feel billions of bugs

  • By SETH BORENSTEIN AP Science Writer

Cicada chaos is flourishing and flying in the American Midwest. Trillions of once hidden baby bugs are in the air, on the trees and perching upon people's shirts, hats and even faces. They're red-eyed, loud and frisky. The males are singing for sex and won't stop until they get a female cicada's flapping wing consent. There were places in Illinois the decibel level hit 101, louder than a lawnmower. The great dual periodical cicada emergence of 2024 — an event of a magnitude not seen since 1803 — has burst from below ground. It joins April's solar eclipse and May's Northern Lights for a triple crown of recent natural wonders in the U.S.

The Intriguing World of Insects

The Intriguing World of Insects

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From humble ants to dragonflies and zebra swallowtails, insects have captured the imagination of artists and poets alike. Connecticut Artist G…

Ash Ferlito’

Ash Ferlito’

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Artist Ash Ferlito’s art drawn from the intersection of moths and light may be seen Aug. 17 at Ink Dwell studio in Half Moon Bay.

Dig In!
Lifestyle

Dig In!

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Aconversation with another master gardener has me thinking about pests, patience and letting nature take her course.