Periodical Cicadas will visit some places in May
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Brood XIV was bad in parts of the Irving College community and parts of DeKalb County. They had visited in 1974, and will return in 2025 and 2042.
They will emerge when the soil temperature four inches deep reaches 64 degrees. The males begin a high-pitched singing four days after emerging. Their dry empty skin is found attached to branches.
It is impossible to prevent the damage the female does to pencil size branches as she lays her eggs. The wound will later resemble a zipper.
Cicadas emerge, sing, mate, lay eggs and die. Pesticides are ineffective since they do not eat. They can lay many eggs, damage many ornamentals before they encounter sufficient pesticide to die. They may live four to five weeks.
I understand why nursery producers are concerned. But remember, if you did not have them 17 years ago, you are not likely to this year.
Cicadas do not kill plants, but a large population will destroy a year’s growth on young trees from the egg-laying process. Small numbers of cicadas cause little concern.
All neighborhoods will not see them. Nursery fields surrounded by woods will have larger populations since they have already spent either 13 or 17 years sucking sap from tree roots.
We refer to different cicada outbreaks as a brood. Two races exist. One has a 13-year life cycle, the other 17 years. They return to the same areas as previous. Fifteen broods have been identified, with six occurring in Tennessee. Cicadas are not locusts and can not sting.
Brood XIX, a 13-year, visited parts of most counties in Middle Tennessee in 1985 and 1998. The Nashville news media really played them up because they were so noisy and abundant in Nashville. A few emerged in parts of Warren and DeKalb counties. They will return in 2011 to the same neighborhoods.
Homeowners can protect valuable plants by covering with cheesecloth or tobacco canvas (spun row cover) while the insects are present. The material must reach the soil and allow light to reach the plant.
Visit the following website for additional information: www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/spfiles/SP341-F.pdf