The wait is nearly over. Billions of cicadas will soon emerge, and the marketing buzz is growing and growing for the creepy critters.
Entomologists say the harmless cicadas will emerge in mid-May to early June when the upper eight inches of soil reaches 64 degrees. That being said, one Mundelein-area resident working his garden sent me a photo the other day of one of them, so be alert for the emergence of the 17-year periodical creatures.
In 2007, the last time Lake County saw the broods hatching in such numbers, sidewalks were paved with the insects, causing some North Shore communities to use mini-snowplows to clear the bugs’ carcasses. Pets and squirrels were feasting on them.
Illinois will have a double-brood emergence, the 13-year brood Downstate and the 17-year emergence up this way. Entomologists — who are quite excited about this event — expect them to show their buggy bodies over a three- to four-week span.
Males are the ones behind the banshee sounds, which are their mating calls that we’ll soon be hearing. After mating and producing nymphs, the cicadas will disappear.
With such a major scientific and cultural event — like last month’s eclipse — some see cicada-mania as a chance to boost brands while educating the public. Similar to what some Downstate hotels and motels in the totality zone of the eclipse did in April. They jacked the price of their rooms to $500 a night, minimum two-night stays. And they were all sold out, as I was told by one hotelier.
Nothing as out of this world as that may be occurring when the cicadas slowly crawl from their years-long crypts, but the Lake County Forest Preserves District is offering devotees of the menacing-looking insects insights into them. The district’s Dunn Museum off Winchester Road in Libertyville is offering a display called “Celebrating Cicadas” through Aug. 4.
The district is also planning guided tours through county forest preserves for those on the prowl for the bugs. Also planned are special and educational events to mark their appearance after being AWOL for 17 years.
The Will County Forest Preserve District is selling T-shirts adorned with a cicada and this warning: “Be Loud. Be Proud.” The shirts are selling like those proverbial hotcakes at $20 apiece, according to the district’s website. The first order sold out and is being replenished by a second batch.
Then there is the Kane County Cicadas, normally the Cougars, who will mark the cicadian event by holding Cicada Night on June 20. The team, a member of the American Association of Professional Baseball which partners with Major League Baseball, will sport friendly cicadas on their hats and uniforms.
The team, which plays at Northwestern Medicine Field off Kirk Road, south of Roosevelt Road, in west suburban Geneva, is selling the cicada ballcaps for $19 each. Unsure what mascot Ozzie Cougar will be doing that night.
I have yet to see a restaurant planning a feast featuring cicadas roasted, sautéed or deep-fried, or a cicada charcuterie board, but there are buggy recipes a plenty if you have, let us say, an adventurous or perhaps quirky palate. Cicada souffle sounds intriguing, but not sure many of us have the intestinal fortitude for it.
Eating insects is known as entomophagy, and Native Americans included cicadas in their diet, according to the University of Illinois Extension. Full disclosure: I ate chocolate-covered ants. Once. They tasted like chocolate.
If one does dive into eating the evil-looking and noisy insects, entomologists suggest consuming only fresh, newly emerged soft-shelled cicadas for the best culinary experience, according to an account by The Associated Press.
Guess they’re sort of like soft-shelled crabs. Indeed, cicadas are related to crayfish, lobsters and shrimp. Which doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll taste like langostinos.
Supposedly, cicadas taste like almonds. That’s according to some brave souls, like authors who have written cicada cookbooks. Yes, several do exist and are available from Amazon.
Scientists say cicadas are known for their versatility in recipes, lending a flavorful texture. They are high in protein, low in fat and contain various important minerals our bodies need.
If you want to indulge your taste buds in the bugs, experts recommend first vigorously washing your cicadas to remove dirt or debris, then boiling them to eliminate any potential bacteria. After boiling, you can begin to dig in.
One recipe that could be edible is a green salad with sliced apples, almonds and blueberry vinaigrette with fried cicadas sprinkled on top. Yum!
While high in protein, unfortunately they won’t count for your Meatless Monday fare, but will fit in the menu for Taco Tuesday. For cicada tacos, saute the insects with garlic, chili powder and lime juice. Use flour taco shells to nestle the cicadas and apply the regular taco toppings.
Other recipes, if you dare to try in your experimental kitchens, include cicada stir-fry, cicada curry and banana-cicada bread. Just add cicadas to the usual recipes.
Bon Appetit!
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor.
sellenews@gmail.com
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