A CicadaInvasion Is Approaching—Here's How to Protect Your Plants.This is because cicadas eat the sap from trees and slicing into them to lay their eggs. While they likely won’t ruin your garden by eating it, experts recommend taking preventative measures to protect your plants. Ready to defend your plants against the CicadaInvasion of 2024? This clever DIY can help protect your plants against these buzzing invaders. Check out our guide at houselogic.com for more tips and tricks to turn your yard into a cicada-free sanctuary... When we say periodic cicadas, what we mean is that several species have adapted to emerge together in synchronized cycles of either 13 or 17 years. While underground, cicada nymphs are using their straw-like mouthparts to draw sap from the roots of perennial plants, mostly trees. "Cicadas lay eggs in small branches, one-eighth of an inch to two inches in diameter," Morton Arboretum's Stephanie Adams said. "The smaller plants, those are the only branches they have are those small, vulnerable branches." The website Cicada Mania explains how the cicadas make their loud mating calls: “Males sing by flexing their tymbals, which are drum-like organs found in their abdomens. Small muscles rapidly pull the tymbals in and out of shape. Cicada season only lasts about six weeks. The cicadainvasion is indeed a rare spectacle. Here are some things you can do to protect your home. 50 community resources to support Americans financially impacted by COVID-19. Home and Garden | Tidy up your garden after cicadainvasion.When the cicada nymphs tunneled out of their home down near tree roots in May, “they aerated the soil,” Adams said. That made it easier for air to reach plant roots and beneficial organisms in the soil. Why cicadas aren't a pest, even when they seem like an "invasion". The loud noise makes many people see the cicadas as an immediate nuisance. Still, the classification changes when the real impact is observed. According to entomologist J Kritky, cicadas are harmless. For those with newly planted trees, garden stores sell mesh that can go over them to protect them. “As long as the cicadas can’t get their mouth parts over the surface of the stems, they can’t harm them,” said Shockley. Experts say trying to poison cicadas will backfire. Lockwood says injury from cicadas on mature trees, vines or bushes may result in death or breakage of shoot tips, which, while not pleasing to look at, may cause relatively little actual damage. However, the potential impact on young plants is much greater. Our plant netting is made of lightweight yet durable materials, which won't put pressure on your plants and hinder their growth. It's perfect for protecting your plants from harmful pests and animals while allowing them to grow and thrive. If you’re planting trees, wait until July. If your yard doesn’t get cicadas by the first week of June, it’s probably safe to plant in June. It’s the egg-laying that does damage. Talk to an arborist or tree expert if you’re actually concerned. Looking for more reasons to get outside and enjoy the cicada emergence? Join us for Indiana Cicada Fest, May 1st-9th! On these days, pick a spot with cicadas, photograph as many plants or animals as you can find, and add them to our Cicada Fest Project! All you need to do is Cicadas drink so much plant sap every day that it equals 300 times their weight. So when they got to go, their urine can shoot out about 10 ft per second!Fortunately, cicadas and their urine are harmless to us, but be sure to protect your young trees.
