Here's What Illinois Can Expect When 'Brood X' Cicadas Emerge

Cicadas are emerging for the first time in 17 years, and Illinoisans are about to encounter the red-eyed insects — if they haven’t already.

The noisy “Brood X” group will make an appearance in the central and eastern regions of the state, likely around this time of year, NBC 5 Chicago explained Tuesday (May 25).

They'll also emerge in other Midwest and Southern states, including in Georgia, where officials recently urged people not to call 911 because of them. Officials have said that residents have called 911 to report what they thought were “alarms” sounding.

The "Brood X" group is one of two that emerges in large numbers in Illinois, according to the University of Illinois Extension. The other is often found in the southern part of the state every 13 years.

“Cicadas are large bodied and have large compound eyes,” University of Illinois Extension reads. “Cicadas are sometimes mistakenly called locusts. In actuality, they are not at all related to locusts, which are a kind of grasshopper…Typically, periodical cicada emergences consist of three species, that can be distinguished by the male songs as well as by slight differences in their appearance.”

NBC 5 Chicago also notes that experts say cicadas don’t sting or bite.

Photo: Getty Images