Cicadas

This is the year of the 13-year cicada, at least here in Missouri.
The noise is deafening. And they are whirling around in flight all over the place.
It's a remarkable phenomenon to say the least.
I would sit back and marvel at it, if it weren't for the fact that many of my plants suffered from the last cicada onslaught 13yrs ago. Many of my shrubs and trees ended up with severely deformed branches as a consequence of the female laying eggs. I lost a young peach tree and a crab completely, with numerous other saplings deformed.
Can anything be done to prevent the same from happening again?
It is probably too late, in any case.

I would say yes to "too late to do anything", and highly unlikely that you could prevent it unless you had a great big exclusion device.

Since the damage to young plant stems is due to oviposition (female tearing a furrow in the stem in which to lay eggs), it is pretty much impossible to convey any kind of insecticide to the adult doing the damage.

I hear that they can be tasty, with the right preparation. I can't claim to ever have attempted a wine pairing, but if they were dipped in chocolate I'd recommend a hearty Syrah.

I figured as much.
Come on over. You can have as many as you'd like, as there's no shortage.
For me, I'll stick with your hearty Syrah!

Weerobin, I cannot answer your question, but, having listened to stories on the radio about this season's cicada arrivals.

I just want to thank you for the beautiful photo of these pests.

Oh an expert on plants and wine.. I'm totally impressed!!!!

Doug

If it is a Pinot Gris, it pairs with frogs - or snails.

Pinot Grigio would be elated to be paired with cicadas...if not elevated.

Well, I'm not an expert on wines or plants; but I have eaten cicadas (maemi) in South Korea. The appropriate adult beverage pairing for this delicacy is soju - Jinro, of course. Knock back a shot or two of that neat, and you don't care what you eat. Spent silkworms (nue) go down easy too.

Unfortunately guys, by dithering around, you've missed the fresh cicada crop.
Still plenty of rotting carcasses around for anyone interested.
Might require a different beverage pairing.

Hmm...cicada on the half shell?

I'm imagining a NV Brut - perhaps a Gruet from New Mexico, or a west coast Domaine Chandon?

VV I think you've spent too much time cooped up in an office in Louisville!!!!

Doug

It's the heat.

I need a cool glass of German Riesling to get my head straight...

I'm assuming these dead dangling branch ends are the result of the cicadas?
I had recalled they favor fruit trees, but seems like mine are mainly maples.
This is a trident maple w/ many affected branches.
It's more apparent from a distance, but camera was facing straight into sun,
so I had to try to take it from underneath the canopy - didn't turn out great.

Here's a nearby acer pilosum v. stenolobum with the same phenomenon.
I was able to take a picture of an individual branch this time,
but again there are many branches affected.

Am I right to attribute this injury to cicadas?

This message was edited Jul 8, 2011 3:11 PM

I think you are right, and you'll be able to confirm it when some of these drop from the tree (or if you knock some down sooner). You are probably familiar with the "zipper" created when the eggs are laid under the bark. Evidence of this will be found on the stem remaining with the tree, and the piece of the tree's stem that has detached/died. In fact, your second closeup image shows the edge of the zipper quite clearly on the hanging dead part of the stem.

Your images bring back graphic memories writ much larger.

It was spring 1987, and this young horticulturist was visiting Cincinnati to select annuals for use in the landscape I managed at the time. Traveling along River Road on the north shore of the Ohio River, I wondered what the whining/screeching sound was that seemed to be emanating from my vehicle. Upon rolling down the windows, I realized that sound was omnipresent, and had no fluctuation due to movement of my vehicle. It took a few moments, but then I realized that it was the awesome effect of millions upon millions of periodical cicadas.

Later that summer, I visited Spring Grove Cemetery as I often did whenever in Cincinnati. There, I saw nearly every deciduous branch tip in that 700+ acre property looking JUST LIKE YOUR PICTURES.

Thanks for reviving THAT nightmare.

Always glad to provide a service!

After the cicada onslaught, the gardening benefit.
Cicada mulch!

You could create a nice little sideboard potpourri display, with these as a basis...

Very funny thread. after the mulch picture I'm surprised that no one suggested stuffed cicada paired with a wine.

We have the cicada here also but not hearing as much from them this year. Maybe an off cycle year for them.

Ours was just an astonishing phenomenon this year.
The sound was nothing short of remarkable.
And constant flying commotion in the air.
Their flying sense isn't the greatest, so you get struck constantly by errant cicadas.
Not for the squeamish.
I remember (not so fondly) the same thing 13yrs ago also.
Thank goodness for 13 upcoming years of peace and quiet!

Wasn't there an ice cream shop in Columbia, MO that made a cicada 'flavored' ice cream last month?

I only found one cicada in my yard this spring - must have been a Missouri transplant! ~j

If there was a cicada ice cream being featured, I'm pleased to say I missed it.

It was Sparky's in Columbia, MO. Apparently it was a hit with customers but not health officials.

http://www.yumsugar.com/Cicada-Ice-Cream-Banned-Columbia-MO-17797046