A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 cicada's

I haven`t seen any in my woods yet, but they have been out for a few days in a neighborhood north of us.

I don`t want them to eat my plants either!!

If they eat my plants and trees I'd cry.... I think small, new trees are the ones that are usually damaged......If they take out my crimson king maples I'll take them all out...... My dad just bought a new apple tree and he had to wrap the trunk up with something because I believe they feed off of something within the tree trunks....

The don't eat plants, they are only concerned with making whoopie. The damage they do to trees is minimal and is usually re-grown quickly. This is done when the female makes a tiny slice in a twig to lay her eggs in. Most established trees don't mind this, as it is a very light pruning of a couple of inches at the end of a twig, but very yound saplings can suffer. If you're worried about your very young trees, you can wrap them in netting. I have several saplings i bought this year, but I have decided to let nature take it's course.

I haven't read this entire thread, but I did see that at the top someone said that someone at work ate one. They are etible and supposedly taste like asparagus! But be careful!! If you are allergic to shell fish, you may be allergic to cicadas!!!!

We don't have them yet, but today on the news they were in a town that has them EVERYWHERE. It was soo nasty!! I think Stephen is a little excited for them because he's never seen them....I am NOT looking forward to them. The sound they make creeps me out....sounds like a UFO has landed (according to some guy on the news today).

http://community.webshots.com/user/jjneenee
I hjave some pictures fo them here, so you can see how many!!! It is gross, and in the afternoon when it's warm, the sound of them is unbearable sometimes. You have to shut your windows! The neighbor girls have been carrying around there cicada bucket for a few weeks, and when they come over to my house ( every night-heheheeh) they drag it along. There is a contest on a radio station for the largest cicada!!! We have found some doozies! It's funny to see them name all there lil friends. Let's see, the ones I can remember from last night.....pointy dude, bob, fat dude, orange dude, and chubby guy!! They are funny. Anyhow, it's hard for me to get a close up picture of them but they are everywhere!!!!!!

Bess, I remember now seeing all the slits on our trees after the last invasion and how that is where they lay their eggs.

OK My question is if they lay their eggs up in the tree branches how do they get down into the ground. Do larva crawl down from the tree?

Or is there another completely differant bug that is making all the holes in the ground?

I just found this from the link up above

"After mating, females lay eggs in bark or twigs; the eggs hatch later in the season and the new nymphs burrow underground and begin feeding on roots."

Any pictures of the nymphs. If there are so many locusts wouldn`t we see tons of nymphs too?

omg Renee!
I'd be totally creeped out! >.o i'm not afraid of bugs alone, but when there's that many in one spot... *shivverz* I'm glad i live in my nice quiet, cold area of the country lol.

Wouldn't the shells make some good compost!!!!

We haven't had ANY, here. It's actually a little bit dissappointing.
On our way back from Chincoteague Island last week, we ran into bands of them around the Washington D.C. beltway. Even with the car windows up and the AC on, we could hear them whirring. We went through areas where they crashed into the windshield and roared in the trees, then nothing for a few miles, then another thick area. It was fascinating.

This is not treu statement, its head will not pop-off and its harmless insect, you just need to watch out for Cicada Larvae which can realy damage roots of your plants.

I see a lot of miss-conception about Cicada, which is harmful insect with lots of noise. The only problem you may have while gardening is when Cicada at a stage of Larvae, then it will eat plant's roots and you need to take care of your garden with some chemicals.

I haven't seen any live cicadas here in my town. But in my yard, I've found parts of them. :p

They were all over the place at the parking area for Dulles Airport tho. Wow. And LOUD.

Meg

Up until a week ago I didn't really see any around my house at all....just one. Although they have been really bad a few miles away for weeks. Now they are all over my yard.....even the birds are sick of them...they fly right by the birds without getting eaten now.......

And just so you all know I've made peace with the cicadas.....I'm not scared at all anymore.....you can't be when they are around so much. Doesn't mean I'll be holding them anytime soon like my husband does......oh yes, he'll chase me around with them......just because I'm not scared doesn't mean I want them landing on me.....lol