After spending 17 years underground, billions of “Brood X” cicadas are set to emerge and invade the Miami Valley.
The cicadas will begin to make their way to the surface when the soil, eight inches beneath the ground, reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
This typically occurs between late April and mid May.
With their arrival being just around the corner, ODNR wants to remind people the importance of trees in a cicada’s life.
ODNR says that not planting trees and shrubs until after cicadas are gone may be advisable, but that they play a big role in how the insects reproduce.
Shortly after emerging, cicadas will climb a vertical surface, such as tree trunks, shed their exoskeletons, and develop into winged adults.
“Periodical cicadas make themselves known with their sheer numbers and their constant cricket-like noise, which is the male ‘singing’ to attract female cicadas,” said Tom Macy, manager of the ODNR Division of Forestry Forest Health Program. “Cicada chorusing is the loudest natural noise in the world.”
After mating, female cicadas then cut slits into the branches and stems of trees and shrubs to lay eggs into the openings, according to ODNR.
“Cicada egg-laying behavior can kill plant branches from the egg-laying site to the tips of the twigs, often resulting in wilted and discolored foliage becoming apparent in mid-summer,” said Macy. “Although this branch tip dieback may look like a major plant health concern, for most plants the damage is inconsequential.”
ODNR also says pesticides and repellents are ineffective on the cicadas and are not recommended.
If you have already planted trees and shrubs for the spring, ODNR says netting or cheesecloth placed over them can help protect them from cicada damage.
Cox Media Group
