Midwest
Extremely rare “blue-eyed” cicada spotted in Chicago suburb
Zoo animals chow down on rare cicadas
Animals at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, Illinois, were spotted eating cicadas. The periodical cicadas have emerged for the first time in 17 years and are part of two broods. The last time this happened was in 1803.
Two separate families in the Chicago suburbs stumbled upon a “one in a million” blue-eyed cicada, sharing pictures of the vibrant insect.
Greta Bailey told Fox News Digital that her 4-year-old son, Jack, was collecting the typically red-eyed cicada when the family first spotted the bright-eyed insect in their Wheaton, Illinois backyard.
Bailey told FOX 59 that she did not realize that blue-eyed cicadas existed – until one wandered into her backyard.
“I thought it was cool and unique and had not heard that blue-eyed cicadas even existed,” Bailey said.
BILLIONS OF NOISY CICADAS EMERGE FROM SLUMBER ACROSS THE US
Greta Bailey’s four-year-old son spotted the vibrant-eyed cicadas in the family’s Wheaton, Illinois backyard. (Greta Bailey via Facebook)
Bailey said that her family enjoyed taking pictures of the cicada before they released it back into the wild.
Images from Bailey showed the small and surprisingly blue-eyed cicada being held by her three children.
Greta Bailey’s daughters hold the blue-eyed cicadas. The insect was later released by the family. (Greta Bailey via Facebook)
Another woman in a Chicago suburb found a “one in a million” blue-eyed cicada while visiting a nature preserve.
Kelly Simkins, who owns Merlin’s Rocking Pet Show, shared her striking find in a Facebook post, snapping a picture of the cicada’s vibrant blue eyes.
THE CICADA INVASION HAS BEGUN! FIND OUT WHERE THE FLYING INSECTS ARE EMERGING
“One in a million blue-eyed cicada found today at 7am,” Simkins said in the post.
Two different blue-eyed cicadas were found in the Chicago suburbs this week. (Greta Bailey and Kelly Simpkins)
While the families find were rare, it is not unheard of.
The blue eyes are caused by a genetic variation, said Gene Kritsky, author of “Periodical Cicadas: The Plague and the Puzzle.”
Blue-eyed cicadas are indeed one in a million, Kritsky confirmed. “Of course,” he added, “there are hundreds of millions of cicadas.”
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MORTON (25News Now) – One person is dead and three others are injured after a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 74 in Morton Thursday.
Illinois State Police said the crash happened around 5:40 a.m. at mile marker 102 the eastbound lanes of I-74 in Morton.
One westbound lane is closed. All eastbound lanes are being directed off and back on the interstate at North Morton Avenue.
No further information is available.
You can watch 25News – any newscast, anywhere – streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here.
Copyright 2026 WEEK. All rights reserved.
Patty Gasso, Audrey Lowry recap OU softball sweep in NCAA Norman Regional
OU softball defeated Michigan 8-1 on Sunday to advance to its 16th consecutive Super Regional. Pitcher Audrey Lowry allowed only one run on three hits over 4 ⅔ innings for the Sooners.
NCAA softball Super Regionals begin Thursday with the winner of these best-of-three series advancing to the Women’s College World Series. Meet the former Indiana high school stars looking to help punch their team’s ticket to Oklahoma City.
No. 3 Oklahoma
Audrey Lowry, pitcher (Tri-West): Lowry has really come into her own as a sophomore. An All-SEC second team honoree, she is 22-3 (tied 16th nationally for wins) with a 2.61 ERA and 88 strikeouts through 120.2 innings pitched. The lefty is limiting opposing hitters to a .230 average.
Berkley Zache, pitcher (South Bend St. Joseph): The younger Zache sister has appeared in 13 games as a true freshman, compiling a 1.95 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 14.1 innings pitched. She has allowed only one earned run in her past 12 appearances.
Riley Zache, catcher/infielder (South Bend St. Joseph): The sophomore has yet to appear in a game this season. She was 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored last season.
No. 6 Florida
Gabi Comia, infielder (Hanover Central): An All-SEC Defensive Team selection at second base, the sophomore has a .979 fielding percentage with only four errors on 193 chances (14 double plays). Comia’s been a factor at the plate, as well, batting a career-best .339 with 59 hits (13 doubles), 47 runs and 24 RBIs. She leads the team with 11 steals and has started in all 61 games she’s appeared in.
Kendall Grover, infielder (Mooresville): The senior Eastern Illinois transfer is among the Gators’ leaders in home runs (11), RBIs (46) and slugging percentage (.564). Grover has also doubled 11 times and maintained a .320 average. She’s been very good in the field, as well, logging a .969 fielding percentage with 30 putouts and 64 assists.
Keagan Rothrock, pitcher (Roncalli): Rothrock has continued her brilliance in the circle. She’s 29-6 with six shutouts, five saves and a 2.42 ERA. She’s racked up 179 strikeouts (25th nationally) and is limiting opposing batters to a .191 average. Rothrock pitched a seven-inning no-hitter vs. South Carolina in April, and she was lights-out in the regional, allowing only two runs on five hits in 15 innings pitched. The Roncalli grad was picked All-SEC first team and is a USA Softball Player of the Year Top-25 finalist.
No. 7 Tennessee
Maddi Rutan, third base/pitcher (Columbus North): Rutan was the ASUN Freshman and Pitcher of the Year with Eastern Kentucky in 2024. She’s been similarly impactful with the Vols, logging 23 hits, including five homers, 19 RBIs and 19 runs scored. She’s 5-for-6 on stolen base attempts and has pitched 16.2 innings, picking up two wins and 12 strikeouts.
Note: Freshman catcher Elsa Morrison grew up in Indiana and played at Carmel High School as a freshman.
No. 10 Georgia
Keirstin Roose, infielder (Lakeland): Roose, an All-SEC honoree, enters Super Regionals batting .350 with 12 doubles, a triple and 15 home runs (.684 slugging). She’s stolen a base, scored 57 runs and driven in 39 RBIs, and boasts a .932 fielding percentage. The 2021 Indiana Miss Softball finalist played her first four collegiate seasons at Coastal Carolina.
No. 11 Texas Tech
Jackie Lis, utility (Castle): One of the greatest players in Castle history, the senior Southern Illinois transfer has been excellent in her first season as a Red Raider, averaging .445. She’s hit 18 home runs, 10 doubles and three triples, and accounted for 66 RBIs (tied 25th nationally) and 49 runs scored.
No. 12 Duke
Brookelyn Grayson, infielder (Noblesville): Grayson, a true freshman, hit an RBI double against CSU Bakersfield in her lone collegiate at-bat.
No. 13 Oklahoma State
Melina Wilkison, outfielder (Greensburg): Wilkison made stops at Ohio State and IU before landing with Oklahoma State for her redshirt senior season. She is batting .227 with five hits, seven runs and five RBIs. The Greensburg grad has drawn two walks and is 3-for-4 on stolen base attempts.
No. 16 LSU
Kylee Edwards, infielder (Shelbyville): Edwards was tremendous her two seasons at Mississippi State and she’s been even better at LSU. An All-SEC first team pick, her .349 batting average is a career-high, as are her 60 hits, 43 runs, 10 homers and 40 RBIs. Edwards has only struck out 10 times in 172 at-bats, and holds a .963 fielding percentage with only seven errors on 188 chances.
Char Lorenz, utility (Munster): Lorenz was an All-ACC pick as a freshman at Louisville. She’s maintained a .266 average in the Bayou with four doubles, six homers, 30 runs and 23 RBIs. Lorenz has three steals and holds a .970 fielding percentage.
Arizona State
Megan Bartlett, head coach (Terre Haute North)
Mississippi State
Paige Ernstes, catcher/infield (New Palestine): Ernstes has started in 32 of the 49 games she’s appeared in and collected 17 hits (three doubles, three homers), six runs and 18 RBIs. She’s logged 175 putouts and seven assists with zero errors in the field.
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Cedar Rapids Fire Department responded to a fire at a garage Wednesday evening.
Crews responded to the 1200 block of Wright Brothers Boulevard SW at 6:23 P.M.
The department says they spotted heavy black smoke prior to arrival, and found an attached garage fully involved with fire.
Crews managed to put out the fire and confirmed that everyone was outside of the house, as well as extinguished a hidden fire in the attic and concealed spaces inside the home.
The garage suffered heavy fire damage while the rest of the home had minor damage.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
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