Illinois
As cicadas emerge in Illinois, scientists research food web impact
Scientists suspect that the insect’s emergence has a cascading effect on intertwined food chains – potentially rewiring the complex energy flows between organisms for years to come.
In a wooded clearing in Lake Forest, a team of researchers crouched close to the grass. They watched as hundreds of ants crawled over seeds, sipped sugar water and indulged in a seasonal treat: cicadas.
Ants’ foraging activities may seem trivial. But... [7452 chars]