They are everywhere online. Walmart,Target, Amazon, you name it.

Before you sink a lot of money into stuff, are you sure you live in an area where the cicadas live? A few miles can make a big difference. For instance, the DC burbs have many more cicadas than the B-more burbs. Also, most of the damage occurs on large oaks. From what I remember, the noise was the most bothersome. The trees looked awful when the tips died, but the next year showed that no real damage was done to most trees.

For large temporary coverings, try a greenhouse supply store. You may end up with something like shade cloth or something. A woven netting made in widths like you are seeking.

One final note, if you live in a cicada neighborhood, there is a cicada etiquette. Like, yes, you are expected to pick them off somebody if they aren't aware they have a cicada hitchhiker. Even if that person is a stranger.

I covered a Northern red oak in 1996 or a few years more or less when the Cicadas were here I used polyester curtain shears and taped the trunks excetera. The Damn things still got in there and made tunnels in the branches, kinda like ditches more than tunnels. Well, the tree is fine about 30 ft tall with about 16 inch wide trunk, it's been putting out acorns for a few years. I don't think they would kill a tree unless it is a tiny stick in the ground.

To me, it seemed they made those ugly cuts, which sort of became ditches with time, in branches about the diameter of my finger or smaller. For a small tree several feet tall, this can do some damage. Didn't kill my little paperbark maple, but damaged some top branches. Definitely damaged some branches on the swamp white oak.

I don't think they'll kill 15 foot trees, but they might damage some limbs.

Richard.

We have the periodic cicadas in my area. Our two broods aren't due out for another couple years now and I'm jealous. It's a sight to behold. I have extensive tree planting and at the time I had a woody stock nursery. So, cosmetic damage to young trees was an issue. Cicada are very choosy as to the exact diameter of limbs on which to lay their eggs. You can look it up online, I can't remember exactly since it's been awhile. They will hit only those boughs who meet the specifications. On mature trees, it's not an issue at all. We had some branch drop after tips died off, but one should consider it just a natural self-pruning. By the next spring, you'd never be able to tell. They don't eat as adults, so no other damage is done, other than the slits for ovapositing. One of the local nurseries and a few of the pest control companies were irresponsibly advertising for spray. OMG no. The only people who were legitimately concerned with the emergence were woody stock nurseries and growing acreage where some temporary cosmetic damage would be a profit issue on very young stock.

Rosemallow, cheesecloth is not what to ask for. Tulle works very well, is widely available in most fabric stores, and won't block a lot of light.

Hmmm, do birds like to eat cicadas? Any particular species or area?

Thanks,

vince

Most everything likes to eat cicadas. That's why there are millions in a brood. I had geese when our last brood erupted. They gorged themselves on the little beasties. The dogs gorged themselves when they were outside until they chucked it back up and ate them over again. The chickens gorged themselves on them. The cats were indifferent.

Heck, people even eat cicadas!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Cicada recipes

The cicadas actually climb from the root of the tree. There is some kind of sticker that you can place around the bottom of the tree. This will catch the cicadas before they get wings. The caught larva can be fried and they allegedly taste delicious - like the juice of your tree. I tried once, it tastes like fried marshmallow to me. The taste is bland. There is no organ in the insect larva at all. The entire thing is like a dough colored marshmallow. I wonder how the insect functions. The view of the insect on the outside, before I bite it, is extremely scary though.

This may be one for Google or ASK.Com, but I wonder how they exit the tree branches after their eggs are in a branch?

They fall off dead eventually. Or just fly down and look for someplace to die. Since they don't need to look for food, and don't mate again there is no reason to go anywhere or do anything. Once the eggs are lain their job is done.

Poaky, the tiny nymphs fall to the ground once they hatch. They burrow into the soil where they live and grow for however many years is determined by their species.

Oh, lol.........I thought she meant the adults. duh. Yes, they fall to the ground and tunnel in, and I have occasionally accidently unearthed one or two when they were almost ready to emerge.

Very interesting, I should have no problem with all the birds in my yard.

Thanks!

vince

Oh ........... there aren't enough birds to handle the amount of cicadas if you're depending on control by birds. There is no way to even describe how many cicadas emerge in the epicenter of an event. But, there isn't any need to control. This has been happening for thousands and thousands of years and is a natural cycle. You do not see devastation afterward and by two years post emergence you won't even know they've been there unless you look specifically for evidence.

This is the dish I am talking about:

{{gwi:354862}}

Also remember that these things are not tiny. They're too big for some birds.

Richard.

Also, they are more healthy than beef. They are lean, high in protein and free from mammal/bird diseases/viruses.

Again, I must reemphasize - despite the formidable outside, they are like marshmallow inside. There is no organ, vessel or anything inside. It is a surprise to me. The inside is entirely, a uniformed, marshmallow texture. The flavor is light - similar to tree sap. But the one I tried is salted and fried.

One more thing, if you have sprayed pesticide in the soil in the last 5 years, then do not consume too many, each time =)