West Cook News

Residents in the region can expect the emergence of cicadas this spring, with large numbers appearing around May and early June. According to experts, this natural phenomena is highly coordinated, as stated by one source, "The emergence of cicadas is a highly coordinated, natural phenomena in our region during which large numbers of cicadas appear around the same time in May and early June."

While the noise produced by cicadas can be quite noticeable, they typically do little damage. However, as mentioned by another source, "Adult cicadas don’t feed on trees, but they do repeatedly drill into small stems to lay their eggs. Occasionally, this can cause smaller branches to die."

Village Forestry officials have reassured residents that the impact on trees' health is minimal, with one official noting, "This rarely impacts a tree’s health unless it is small in size with few branches and a trunk less than 2 inches in diameter." To mitigate any concerns, residents are advised to take precautions such as covering small trees with fine netting before the cicadas emerge. Additionally, planting small trees can be delayed until after the cicada emergence is over.

It has been emphasized that trees in the Village’s spring tree planting program are expected to be large enough to withstand the cicada emergence. As stated by a representative, "Almost all of the trees that are part of the Village’s spring tree planting program will be large enough in size to withstand the emergence of the cicadas."

For further information on tree care, particularly the nearly 18,000 trees on public property, residents are encouraged to visit www.oak-park.us/trees. As one source mentioned, "For more information about the care of the nearly 18,000 trees on public property, visit www.oak-park.us/trees."