How to Protect Young Trees From Cicadas

Listen for the first songs of male cicadas beginning in May. This will probably occur at or around sunset. You can’t miss the extremely loud, deep buzzing noise. Some strong, resonant midsummer male cicada songs have been measured at 100 decibels from a distance of 20 yards. That’s loud enough for you to hear it over your running lawn mower.

Cover young trees and ornamental shrubs between 1 and 4 years of age with disposable plastic netting with 1/4-inch mesh holes as soon as you hear the first cicada song. Protect any branches under 1/2 inch in diameter. Older, well-established specimens aren’t likely to suffer any damage. You have five to 10 days from the time you hear the first songs of singing males until the females arrive to mate.

Secure the covering below the plant’s foliage with twine or masking tape to prevent cicadas from crawling under the material to access the plant’s limbs. Leave the covering in place until all cicada activity ceases in your area, typically around the end of June.

Knock cicadas off structures and plants with a strong blast from the garden hose when the insects begin to annoy you. They may swarm your home and anything on your property temporarily. Squash them if you want some vengeful gratification.

Scoop cicada carcasses and empty exoskeletons up with a garden spade after they expire in five to 10 days following their arrival. These bugs typically create huge messes in yards. Toss them into gardening areas where other insects and soil microorganisms work hard at turning them into excellent fertilizer. Cultivate empty exoskeletons right into the soil. Deceased cicadas contribute large, healthy doses of nitrogen to garden soil.

Prune damaged twigs and limbs off the trees and ornamental shrubs with clean, sharp shears within three to four weeks after you hear the last male songs. Gather the trimmings up in stout plastic bags, and dispose of them in the trash. Don’t add them to your compost heap. This prevents the eggs present in the damaged wood from hatching and burrowing into the ground for yet another round.