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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Fw: cicadas

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  • From: list@ginda.us
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>, breen@fedcoseeds.com
  • Cc:
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Fw: cicadas
  • Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 22:47:19 -0500

I doubt that surround would do much for cicadas, as they lay their eggs and do all their eating underground. The adults just hang out on trees to find mates, then lay their eggs and die.

On the other hand, I doubt it's worth doing anything to discourage 13 year cicadas. Sure, it's a big insect, but it takes it 13 years to get that big. It doesn't eat much at a time (it suck sap from roots) and from what I've heard, it doesn't do enough damage to worry about, except for the litter when the adults all hatch and die.

It's not like a locust that has a sudden population boom. If you're going to get adults this year, the larvae have been living on your tree roots for the last 12 years, and they've already done as much damage as the next generation will do. I know that when I lived in Princeton and we had a big hatching (I think of 17 year cicadas, but maybe 13 year ones) the places where they were most densely packed on the trees happened to have large and healthy trees - that is, the trees that had been feeding the huge population for the last 16 years looked great. Just consider it an interesting event, and treat it like any other insect that eats plants but isn't a significant pest.

Ginda

On Mar 16, 2004, at 9:52 PM, Heron Breen wrote:


hi folks, i've been wondering if Surround WP (kaolin clay) might be a deterrent?
for those unfamiliar, it is a foliar spray causing excessive grooming and
irratation to pests, discouraging egg laying. sounds hokey but works. so any
theories on its cicada use, albeit non labeled application?
heron breen
zone 4b maine
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 20:15 , Hector Black <hblack@twlakes.net> sent:

 
----- Original Message -----
From: Hector Black

To: nafex
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 8:08 PM
Subject: cicadas


Hello all,
    Word is that we are going to
have the 13 year cicadas out this year and probably some from another batch
maturing this year.  Does anyone have a remedy?  They had done
terrible damage to some of our shrubs and young trees with their egg
laying.  Something that would be considered an organic
material.
 
    Thanks,    Hector
Black, zone 6 middle TN






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