During the months of May and June, the 17-year cicadas will be making their arrival known.
It is important to understand what can be done to protect and control damage to our younger trees.
The crucial timeframe will last about six weeks. This is when the females will start to lay their eggs by making slits on the tips of branches.
After the slits are made, you will see these branch tips turn brown and die. This can be fixed by pruning off these branches after this occurs.
Homeowners should not use pesticides, as they are not effective and could cause harm to the birds and other animals that eat cicadas.
The most effective way to protect the smaller trees, is by using netting with openings less than 3/8” in size.
Larger trees should not have any major detrimental effects from any egg laying.
Here is more information written by Dr Mike Raupp from the University of MD: https://tcimag.tcia.org/tree-care/return-of-periodical-cicadas-in-2021-biology-plant-injury-and-management/