As if the 2020s have not been adventurous enough, now cicadas are getting ready to besiege the Southeast United States, including Tennessee. Specifically, “Brood X” is a colony of cicadas that emerges once every 17 years. Entomologists believe it is the largest of these colonies, and the research on cicadas dates back to colonial times (1775, to be precise). In this article, your arborists in Johnson City at Promier Tree explain how you can protect your trees from potential damage from the cicadas this summer.
What’s the Big Deal About Cicadas and Trees?
Cicadas emerge from the soil, lay their eggs underground, and then die. Once those eggs come to maturity, the new brood of cicadas emerges. There are several different broods and varieties of cicadas, but “Brood X” is centralized in the eastern U.S., and in June, cicadas swarmed the engines of a plane carrying the White House press corps.
We doubt you have a jet lying around your property, but you do have trees. And cicadas can do serious damage to trees and shrubs. Specifically, the females can burrow into branches when they lay their eggs. This burrowing carves slits into the branches of your trees, eventually weakening the branches, leading them to wither and die. If enough of these slits are created, it can devastate and even kill your tree.
The risk doesn’t end there. When the eggs hatch, cicada larvae drop into the ground, where they feed on tree roots for as long as five years. Deciduous trees such as elm, chestnut, maple, redbud, and oak are their favorites—and all of these tree species are quite common in east Tennessee. Did we mention that when these eggs hatch, it releases hundreds or even thousands of cicadas?
How Can You Protect Your Trees From Cicadas?
You can cover vulnerable trees with a special netting that is wrapped around the entire diameter, helping shield them from these pests.
If you’ve noticed a swarm of cicadas on your property or even in your neighborhood, it’s time to act fast—especially if you have any young or newly planted trees. Any affected branches with slits need to be pruned within 6-10 weeks. Remember that we recommend any tree pruning be performed by an experienced tree care professional. Prompt pruning removes the eggs before they hatch and protects your tree roots from becoming food for cicada larvae.
Tree Care in Kingsport
At Promier Tree, we want to help make sure your trees and shrubs survive another 17 years and beyond. For more information on how we can protect your trees from infestation by cicadas or other pests, call our office at (423) 765-2626 or go online to schedule a consultation today with one of our arborists. We’re proud to serve the tree care needs of our clients in the areas of Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee.