After spending 17 years underground, the periodical cicadas, known as Brood X, will emerge in mid-April in the billions to molt, mate and die. You may even see some now when digging in your garden. They will be noisy. Birds, other animals, and even some humans will feast on them. They are harmless—wont’ bite or sting, and they’ll be gone in early June.
While you’ll notice some dieback, Cicadas will do no lasting damage to healthy mature trees. The females will cut slits in twigs about a pencil thick to lay their eggs, causing the tips of branches to die back—think of this as a natural pruning that has been going on for millennia. Some young trees can be vulnerable to severe damage but can be protected by netting in a mesh no larger than one centimeter (this may trap birds or snakes). Planting of new trees should be postponed until fall, which is a better time for planting anyway. Pesticides are ineffective and will only harm essential pollinators and other beneficial insects.
To learn more, see:
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- MGNV, Protecting Young Trees from Periodical Cicadas
- Capital Naturalist by Alonso Abugattas, Periodical Cicadas
Questions: Contact the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office via email mgarlalex@gmail.com.