Cicada infestations are an issue that often springs up in the late spring or early part of summer and can be a noisy problem. Depending on your region, you might have annual (which emerge every year), periodical (which emerge every 13 to 17 years in large numbers), or proto-periodical (which emerge every year but also emerge in heavy numbers after many years) cicadas.

Cicadas are flying insects usually 1 inch or greater in size. They have transparent wings and are known for their mating songs. They produce one of the loudest sounds of any insect, and each species has its own unique song.

Cicadas might be big, loud, and scary looking, but they do not bite, sting, or transmit diseases. They can be a nuisance pest when they invade homes by the thousands and suck the sap of your trees, which in large numbers could injure your plants.

Identification

 

Identification is essential for control. Before you can treat, you need to be sure you’re dealing with cicadas, and you can’t do that if you don’t know what they look like. Below, you can find some common characteristics of cicadas.

  • At 2 and 1/2 inches to 3 inches long as adults, cicadas are quite large; you can’t miss them! The ones you find in America are two species known as dog-day cicadas (because they usually appear in July or August, “the dog days of summer”) and periodical cicadas.
  • Cicadas have large transparent wings and are known for their unique loud songs and mating calls, which vary by species.
  • Body color will vary by species but could be metallic black to green to reddish-brown, among many others.
  • Cicada eyes could vary in color depending on the species, but they are usually black and bright red.

Use the image and description above to help you properly identify cicadas. If you are unsure, contact us, and one of our pros will assist you with proper cicada identification.

Prevention

You don’t want them making a comeback after you have eliminated the cicadas from your property. Depending on your location, you can predict the year, season, and month when cicadas will emerge from the ground and begin swarming.

Here are some preventative measures to carry out:

  • Applying our treatment a month in advance before cicadas are expected to emerge. In locations where you get annual species of cicadas, treatments will usually occur in late summer and early spring but double-check to be sure.
  • Also, keep your trees and shrubs well-trimmed before cicadas emerge. This will ensure they do not have a place to lay their eggs.
  • Do not plant trees two years in advance when cicadas are expected to emerge since this will stunt their growth and possibly kill them. If you have planted trees, it is best to protect them by actively spraying our in house spraying products to control and kill them effectively to avoid any damage they can cause.

 

Inspection

Once you have confirmed that you are encountering cicadas on your property, you can proceed with an inspection. During this phase, you must locate the areas cicadas are infesting and the trees they feed on. During the inspection, you will focus on finding cicada activity.

Where To Inspect

Since most infestations happen outdoors, search outside. Look for ants in trees, shrubs, and ornamentals on your property. Depending on the species, ants can be found in a variety of places, but they are usually found near undisturbed woody areas where nymphs can grow underground by feeding on roots.

What To Look For

You’re looking for cicadas. They usually perch in their host trees and sing away, attracting other cicadas. They might blend in with the tree, so look closely. The best thing to do is to follow the sound they make. This is the easiest way of inspecting your property for cicadas. This should lead you straight to the trees they are infesting.

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Treatment

Once you have confirmed cicada’s activity, it is time to begin treatment and contact Alternative Earthcare to do a property evaluation and start the process of spraying. To control Cicadas effectively the spraying must be done from April through August.