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Health & Fitness

Save Money and Just Enjoy the Cicadas

Do I need cicada prevention products?

With cicadas emerging all over the place now and much more to come, the market place is ready to take your money! On Sunday I was at Home Depot and rolls of "Cicada Netting" for $14.95 were displayed prominently at the entrance. For the most part, you do not need these products! While it may be a good idea to protect newly planted small trees or shrubs in areas of high emergence, instead of paying money for the net rolls, just regularly pluck the totally harmless cicadas off the plant. If you grab a male, you will likely be treated to their buzzing too, just adding to the fun.

 

Cicadas can damage the tender branch tips of plants because that is where the females cut a slit to lay their eggs, but this is not usually enough to hurt a mature plant. After the branch tips die back, the damage is called "flagging" because the dead branch tips tend to dangle and move around in the wind. Keep in mind that this is essentially nature's way of pruning and pruning can actually make trees and shrubs stronger. There is also no need to use pesticides because they will have very limited effectiveness. Even if you wind up poisoning some cicadas, others will simply fly in from nearby areas. So, think about your plants and landscape before you shell out big bucks. And, of course, enjoy this incredible spectacle of nature we are being treated too!

Find out what's happening in East Brunswickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Please let the Friends know where you are seeing cicadas and visit my Bug Addiction - Confessions of a "Bug Addict" for loads more insect fun.            

Find out what's happening in East Brunswickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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