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Periodical cicada impact on trees
By BJ Price - Preble SWCD
Faithful readers will recall a previous article that covered periodical cicada development and emergence. By now, many of you have witnessed the “turrets” or little mud castles on the ground surface that the periodical cicada nymphs have constructed. If you have not seen the mud castles, look in the woods or near yard trees in places that haven’t been disturbed since 2004. Cicada populations can be very localized and they’ll be much denser in some places than in others.
After they emerge and become adults, which is usually around Mother’s Day, periodical cicadas can be identified by their red eyes and they will live for two to four weeks. After the adult’s exoskeleton fully hardens, they take flight and soon begin to mate and reproduce. Adults will feed very little, and what feeding they do consists of sucking sap from tender branches.
Periodical Cicadas prepare for return
By BJ Price - Preble SWCD
Jump in your time machine and travel back to 2004 with me. The Boston Red Sox won the World Series for the first time since 1918. President George W. Bush was elected to his second term of office. Martha Stewart was convicted of a felony and was sentenced to five months in prison. Ken Jennings won over 2.5 million dollars on Jeopardy! And Brood X of the Magicicada periodical cicadas emerged by the billions in 15 states across the eastern U.S. The magi- in the genus name comes from the Ancient Greek magos meaning “magician,” which alludes to the fact that they appear as if by magic.
Photo by Bill Rinehart/WVXU
The Cincinnati region has seen more than just April showers this year. The month has brought sunshine, warmth, cold and even a bout of snow.
But it is almost May, and spring is fully locked in.
And the cicadas are not far behind.
So, what to do with your garden, your landscape, your plants and trees? Did you lose any to the snow? Anything you want to try this year that is different or challenging for you?
Cincinnati Edition s monthly gardening show is live at noon with your phone calls and emails at 513-419-7100 and talk@wvxu.org.