OK perhaps humming isn’t the proper word…buzzing…droning…that’s more like it! The cicadas are here and in action making a cacophony of sound all around. I noticed their cast off shells hanging on the tall grass foliage in the backyard while mowing the other evening but didn’t see any actual cicadas until Thursday. My daughter and I went exploring in the backyard and we found this cicada hanging onto a leaf. It’s one slightly bent wing makes it look a little like it may have just molted.
I know some gardeners have expressed concern over cicadas eating their vegetable gardens but I don’t think there is anything to worry about – or if there is not much. So far there haven’t been any encroachments into my garden and the cicadas have stayed mostly in the trees singing their songs. From what I know about cicadas (and I am no entomologist) they pretty much stick to those tree for their nesting and egg laying. Damage tends to be restricted to young branches where they lay their eggs. But if you do happen to see cicadas nibbling on your vegetables try covering the vegetables with a fine mesh netting – where the mesh is smaller than the cicadas. That should do the trick without any harmful sprays. Although I suspect you’re more likely to see other regular garden insect pests munching on your maters than cicadas!
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| Cicada Shell After Molting |
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Dave, It’s another wonderful rainy Spring day, so I’m taking time to look over the Blogs I follow. Wanted to see what you have been up to. Always nice to check in on gardeners who live where it is warmer than here! Today it is 47F for the high and rainy. I am promised that Spring will come some day. That would be nice. I won't have your cicadas around for weeks, make that months, to come. Here at Lake MIchigan it is cool so long into the season that many times they never arrive here. I'll check on again soon. Jack
What's that you say, Dave? I can't hear you over the loud neighbors having a grand time. Oh, the tree frogs and bulls frogs, too…I'm about ready to wear headphones 24/7!
The cicadas are amazing. I've seen no flower damage, but I don't have a veggie garden.
My sister who lives outside of Chicago had cicadas entirely cover her tree on her lawn a couple of years back. You couldn't even see the tree there were so many! Their molted shells fell all over the driveway, they had to sweep it up. So many!
Hey Jack!
Hope the warmer weather catches up with you soon. Things have gotten cooler down here, I think the cicadas aren't so happy right now.
Cameron,
They are quite loud! They've stuck to the trees so far though.
Meemsnyc,
That's what is on the way here. It's supposed to be a big group. So far it hasn't been too bad though.
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