Splashing around in the pool. Drinking lemonade on the porch. Tree leaves swaying in the summer breeze. These are the sounds of summer we can’t get enough of. The one sound you’d love not to hear in the summer? Without question, the cadenced noise of cicadas, a usual summer tree insect. If you see or hear cicadas in your yard, are they just irritating or can they do damage?
Do Cicadas Damage Trees?
Cicadas can harm trees, but not in the way you possibly imagine. The adults might eat the leaves, but not enough to bring any lasting or severe harm. The larvae fall to the dirt and go down to the roots where they live until it’s ready to pupate. While feeding on the roots deprive the tree of the nourishment that would help it grow, arborists have never recorded any damage to the tree from this sort of feeding.
Tree damage from cicadas happens during the egg-laying procedure. The female lays her eggs beneath the bark of a branch or twig. The branch breaks and dies. The branch leaves turn brown. This situation is referred to as flagging. You can spot flagging branches quickly due to the contrast of brown leaves against the vigorous green leaves on other branches.
Female cicadas are finicky about the size of the twig or branch where they lay their eggs. They like those that are about the size of a pencil. This signifies that older trees won’t get severely damage since their main branches are more prominent. On the other hand, younger trees may be so badly damaged that they die from their accidents.
Reducing Cicadas Damage to Trees
Most folks don’t want to wage chemical warfare in their yard to stop tree damage from cicada pest. Here are some prevention methods that don’t include the use of insecticides. Don’t plant new trees within four years of the presence of cicadas. Young trees are high risk for cicadas, so it’s best to wait until the threat has passed. Your Tampa arborist can tell you when to expect the cicadas.
Stop cicada insects in small trees by shielding them with a net. The net should have a mesh size no bigger than a quarter inch. Secure the netting around the trunk of the tree just under the canopy to stop cicadas from going up the trunk. Cut off and destroy any damage by cicadas. This diminishes the populace of the next generation by removing the eggs.
