Spring is here, but it will look a little different this year. Billions of cicadas are expected to emerge in what’s being described as a “once in a lifetime” event.
According to NBC, at the end of April, two different broods of cicadas—one that lives on a 13-year cycle and the other that lives on a 17-year cycle —will make an appearance at the same time across the Midwest and the Southeast. That is also the same month as the 2024 total solar eclipse!
This rare, synchronized event only sees their cycles aligned every 221 years, and the last occurrence was in 1803. What makes this even more special to Illinois residents is that they happen to have a slim overlap in central Illinois.
However, the 64 is the magic number for the periodical cicadas to emerge from their 17-year slumber. The soil temperature has to be at least 64 degrees—and for Chicagoans, it looks like the number has been hit. You can expect an emergence soon.
Both the 13-year cycle cicadas and 17-year cycle cicadas spend most of their lives underground, feeding on tree roots—they then will make their way to the surface to search for a mate. This usually lasts for about four to six weeks, causing a raucous month. After 2024, the two cicada groups won’t sync up again until 2245.