By TIM YOVICH

By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- "We're going buggy on Squaw Creek Drive," Art Gill quips as he sweeps crawling cicadas and their remains off his driveway.
Cicadas, sometime termed 17-year locusts, have infested the north side neighborhood, leaving homeowners busy sweeping the walls of their homes and their plants, bushes and trees.
The 11/2-inch winged, beetlelike insects emerge from the ground through pencil-size holes, shed their crusty outer shells and begin to mate, laying eggs on small branches.
This is the second time since 1985 that Art and Jeanne Gill have experienced the infestation at their home at 1604 Squaw Creek.
"This is the worst it's ever been," Gill observed.
"They're on everything," Mrs. Gill added.
The Gills said they began noticing the insects last week, noting that based on experience they'll be around for two more weeks.
In other areas, too
Other local areas have also reported emergence of the insects -- such as northern Austintown. According to the University of Michigan cicada Web page, 17-year cicada broods are to emerge in various Ohio areas as well in 2004, 2008 and 2016.
To help stop the cicadas from slowly marching up their trees, the Gills, like other neighbors, have put shiny tape around the trunks of some of their trees so the pests lose their grip.
On other trees, the Gills have wrapped trash bags held to the bark with duct tape at the trunks. The insects lay their eggs in the trees. When the eggs hatch, the larvae come down and go back into the ground, starting the cycle again.
"They look terrible, but they won't hurt you," Gill pointed out. "This is probably one of the buggiest places there is."
Across the street, Joe and Dolores Leskovec at 1591 Squaw Creek collect the bugs by the garbage bag.
This is the third time the Leskovecs have experience the infestation.
"They said we were going to get them this year, but not like this," Mrs. Leskovec said. "They crawl right on you. I can't stand them."
Mrs. Leskovec said she has checked about using insecticide, but it's too expensive.
Neither family appreciates the faint rotting odor the bugs bring with them.
A popular attraction
Leskovec said people drive by his home just to see the cicadas crawling up a tree near the roadway.
Like the Gills, the Leskovecs have rimmed their trees with duct tape.
Mrs. Gills said the only vegetation the insects seem to eat are her red-colored begonias, adding that they don't harm the other colors.
Not far from the Gills and Leskovecs, Jimmy Williams at 1741 Oak St. doesn't have near the number of cicadas that are on Squaw Creek.
He has also circled his trees with duct tape.
"This is the first time I've taped them up. It seems to work," Williams said.