Cicada Alert Level:

two cicadas

Thousands of cicadas battled 40 mph winds Thursday as a low pressure swept through the area, leaving them to truly flap in the breeze - and forcing many against the windshields of school buses shepherding area children home in these final weeks of school.

The few strong-willed survivors clung to whatever vertical surface they could find. One group, strangely enough, found shelter on the wide trunk of a maple just north of the 107th Street Metra Station. Several witnesses reported that the pattern of the sheltered swarm formed the likeness of Donald Stephens, the late mayor of Rosemont, but a northeasterly gust dispersed the group before any confirmation was made.

As the Southwest Observer team of cicada-casters continues to analyze the birth-mate-and-die cycle of this 17-year saga, one thing is for certain - that nothing is certain.

That's why we're going to continue this up-to-date coverage of Cicada Watch 2007 to keep you informed - and safe.