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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] A plague of locusts!

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  • From: "Donna &/or Kieran" <holycow@cookeville.com>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] A plague of locusts!
  • Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 23:16:34 -0500

When the cicadas first showed up the weather was unseasonably cool, and so they were slow to get started. Three weeks ago they were quiet. Two weeks ago they were up in the high trees singing, there were not nearly as many as I remember from 25 years ago in east Tenn, so I thought we were pretty safe. One week ago they were still mostly in the high trees. But in the last week it has finally warmed up and the cicadas have been spending more time down in smaller trees. It looks as if they don't care much for trees that are shaded, but there are two trees they seem very fond of. One is a small apple tree, a local variety that makes pretty boring fruit. The other one is a 20th Century pear that bloomed for the first time this year, just 2 clusters of flowers. The two trees are in a sunny breezy area and the cicadas won't leave them alone. They have stabbed not just small twigs, not just horizontal twigs, but also a section of the vertical apple trunk as big as my finger. I am just sick over the pear tree, by the time the bugs and the blight are done with it, there won't be much left. My neighbors have a large tree of 20th Century that must be at least 50 years old, which implies it's survived at least two previous swarms. I was quite looking forward to fruit from that tree, but I doubt the locust and FB strikes will leave much fruit. There's no predicting what the cicadas will attack, some small peach twigs are already hanging down dead. I have wrapped up two small trees and figure that many of my smallest trees are safe, but there is nothing I can do for the bigger trees. I have only seen dead cicadas in the last two days, and no more new ones, so I guess the infestation will die down soon. I suppose with high temps day and night they will live and die faster. At least we are saving a lot on dogfood. The dogs are having a wonderful time. Donna



  • Re: [NAFEX] A plague of locusts!, Donna &/or Kieran, 06/05/2008

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