So, I just learned that cicadas can destroy young fruit trees and wouldn't you know it, I just planted some there year. So here is my question for you all, what can I do to minimize the impact to my trees, since those pesky little buggers will be emerging this year?


Two options I have heard so far, is wrapping the tree with insect netting or spraying the tree, but for spraying you need to stay on top of it.


Let me know.

Cicadas don't kill whole trees unless it is a very small tee, the kill branches when they lay their eggs under the bark and that killed the limb or twig, then the limb or twig breaks and falls to the ground and the larva bury in the ground and pupate and then emerge as adults come out of the shell and start the process all over again. They like branches around the diameter of a pencil. The recommended mesh size to use when netting the canopy, you do not have to wrap the trunk, is no larger than one quarter inch. If it were me I would go for netting rather than spray because it is once and done.

Thanks Woods walker! The tree were just planted this year and are bare root stock (about 2 years old). Most of the branches are bigger than a pencil, but some of them are about that size. I did find some mesh that is woven very tightly and the size is about .03.

That should do it.

In what area will the cicadas be emerging this year?

Last "swarm" here they killed off many branches on our blue berry bushes. I saw a few emerging last May or June. I suppose they will be bad again soon 2021 here.. I remember about 1987 they were so bad in Arlington VA and around DC, that the road in Rock Creek park was closed due to folks sliding off the road on slick "cicada slurry" because of all the bugs that were run over on the road under the trees. The May flies on the Rt 462 (Wrightsville to Columbia) bridge are not near as bad.

Here is a good article from Penn State on when the brood's will be emerging. This year looks to be more focused to western PA. The big swarm everyone keeps talking about is looking to be 2021.


https://ento.psu.edu/extension/facts...iodical-cicada

I am interested for fishing reasons.

Fish go CRAZY when the cicadas hit the water.

That’s for sure. The last time there was a big hatch in Centre county, I caught just about every species with deer hair bass bugs on a fly rod.

Number 9 shot should be adequate!