Hi all, thank you so much for being a trusted source of information this Spring! I have a few questions. First, I have a young tree with a trunk that is about as thin as a pencil. Should I net the whole trunk? Second, I have read that cicadas will lay eggs in brambles (blackberries and raspberries) so I'm thinking about netting my established bramble patch, which is about three feet high and sprawls over an area maybe 8ft x 5ft. Should I even be worrying about that? If so, do you have any tips on netting given that bramble morphology is quite different from tree morphology? (Tips on multi-trunk trees and shrubs generally also appreciated, on behalf of my clethra, aronia, blueberries, and lilacs)
Great questions! It is possible cicadas could lay eggs in a pencil thin tree trunk, thus I would recommend you net the entire tree (trunk and canopy). From what is known, cicadas prefer laying eggs in trees over shrubs, but in desperation (overcrowding in trees) cicadas can lay eggs in shrubs. Netting woody plants with multiple branches can be trickier. With multibranch shrubs you may need to secure the netting to the ground (possibly with garden stakes) right near the base of the outer branches.
Do we need to cover the Lilacs or Japanese Maple trees? I'm ordering a bolt of TULLE fabric, from amazon. (Tried JoAnnFabrics, by they only have 6" wide.) Very fine and airy. I hope I'm not too late, it won't arrive till May 18.
You are very welcome! Great question Sally! From what is known, female cicadas prefer trees over shrubs/bushes, but out of desperation they may lay their eggs in some shrubs/bushes. The rule of thumb is if your shrub or tree has a majority of pencil thin sized branches, you may want to consider netting your woody plant. If your rose bush is well established and most of its branches are thinner/thicker than a pencil, then I would say your bush is likely going to be okay.
This is so helpful; thank you! I couldn't find netting at the local hardware stores and am having a hard time finding 3/8 inch or less online. Is it okay to use "Pond and Pool" netting? It's 3/8 inch and currently easily available for purchase.
My small tree is a prairie fire flowering crabapple with much more exposed trunk than your example. Will the netting be tied off just below all the branches so there is a lot of trunk exposed, or should we tie it off near the base of the trunk?
Thank you for your question! For trees with a taller exposed trunk the netting should be tied off just below where the branches begin to stem out from the trunk. The netting does not need to cover all the way down to the base of the exposed trunk.
Great question! This does apply to container trees on decks and/or balconies. Cicadas can climb up very tall trees and buildings; just about any vertical structures.
Great question Sarah! We are aware that this can be a problem. To reduce the likelihood of birds or other animals getting caught in the netting we recommended purchasing netting with small openings (1/4" or less), tying closed all loose netting openings, securing the netting snuggly around the tree trunk, and cutting off any excess netting from the bottom. We have read adding reflective tape on the netting can reduce birds from getting caught, but we have no experience or seen data on/with this practice. Thank you for your question. -Madeline Potter (Cicada Crew UMD)
Thank you for your question! We do not recommend any kind of specific netting. Any netting that can withstand adverse weather and has openings that are less than 3/8ths of an inch.
I wonder what tree they lost in that spot now allowing for big mulch circle. Sadly with cicadas primarily preferring to suckle native Ash roots along bottomlands, so many communities needlessly sacrificing heritage class American Ash trees to Chinese Emerald ash borer along with several million wild growing ashes.
Great question! Our recommendation is netting with holes no larger than 3/8ths of an inch. Cicadas are about 3/4ths of an inch long, but their bodies can be thinner and can easily squeeze through 1/2 inch net openings.
Thanks so much, this was exactly what I was looking for. Clear and easy to follow.
Great information and demonstration. Thank you.
This is very helpful. Thank you!
Thank You
I have a Redbud that was purchased in May 2018. It is over 6 feet tall. Would you recommend netting given these facts? Thanks
Hi all, thank you so much for being a trusted source of information this Spring! I have a few questions.
First, I have a young tree with a trunk that is about as thin as a pencil. Should I net the whole trunk?
Second, I have read that cicadas will lay eggs in brambles (blackberries and raspberries) so I'm thinking about netting my established bramble patch, which is about three feet high and sprawls over an area maybe 8ft x 5ft. Should I even be worrying about that? If so, do you have any tips on netting given that bramble morphology is quite different from tree morphology?
(Tips on multi-trunk trees and shrubs generally also appreciated, on behalf of my clethra, aronia, blueberries, and lilacs)
Great questions! It is possible cicadas could lay eggs in a pencil thin tree trunk, thus I would recommend you net the entire tree (trunk and canopy). From what is known, cicadas prefer laying eggs in trees over shrubs, but in desperation (overcrowding in trees) cicadas can lay eggs in shrubs. Netting woody plants with multiple branches can be trickier. With multibranch shrubs you may need to secure the netting to the ground (possibly with garden stakes) right near the base of the outer branches.
Do we need to cover the Lilacs or Japanese Maple trees? I'm ordering a bolt of TULLE fabric, from amazon. (Tried JoAnnFabrics, by they only have 6" wide.) Very fine and airy. I hope I'm not too late, it won't arrive till May 18.
Thanks for making this video! Should large bushes also be netted? I have some large rosebushes that I'm wondering if the cicadas would bother...
You are very welcome! Great question Sally! From what is known, female cicadas prefer trees over shrubs/bushes, but out of desperation they may lay their eggs in some shrubs/bushes. The rule of thumb is if your shrub or tree has a majority of pencil thin sized branches, you may want to consider netting your woody plant. If your rose bush is well established and most of its branches are thinner/thicker than a pencil, then I would say your bush is likely going to be okay.
@@cicadacrewumd8932 I was told by someone at the U of Virginia, that last time they attacked blueberry bushes.
Do taller trees - around 10-12 feet also need to be wrapped? They were planted a few years ago, but are not mature yet (Magnolia and Dogwood). TIA!
This is so helpful; thank you! I couldn't find netting at the local hardware stores and am having a hard time finding 3/8 inch or less online. Is it okay to use "Pond and Pool" netting? It's 3/8 inch and currently easily available for purchase.
I'm ordering a bolt of TULLE fabric, from amazon. Tried JoAnnFabrics, by they only havr 6" wide. Very fine and airy.
My small tree is a prairie fire flowering crabapple with much more exposed trunk than your example. Will the netting be tied off just below all the branches so there is a lot of trunk exposed, or should we tie it off near the base of the trunk?
Thank you for your question! For trees with a taller exposed trunk the netting should be tied off just below where the branches begin to stem out from the trunk. The netting does not need to cover all the way down to the base of the exposed trunk.
@@cicadacrewumd8932 Thank you. Should I wrap a lilac and rhododendron bush too.
Does this also apply to container trees on decks and balconies? Or are those platforms safe and too high for cicadas?
Great question! This does apply to container trees on decks and/or balconies. Cicadas can climb up very tall trees and buildings; just about any vertical structures.
How do you recommend flagging the netted tree so birds don't try to land on it and get tangled?
Great question Sarah! We are aware that this can be a problem. To reduce the likelihood of birds or other animals getting caught in the netting we recommended purchasing netting with small openings (1/4" or less), tying closed all loose netting openings, securing the netting snuggly around the tree trunk, and cutting off any excess netting from the bottom. We have read adding reflective tape on the netting can reduce birds from getting caught, but we have no experience or seen data on/with this practice. Thank you for your question. -Madeline Potter (Cicada Crew UMD)
Is it too late to start netting the trees and shrubs?
I've got a Nyssa sylvatica in Bethesda that's about 15 feet tall. Should I net it?
This tree, based on the height, sounds well established. This tree will likely be okay, unless a majority of its limbs are about the size of a pencil.
Is there a specific kind of netting you recommended?
Thank you for your question! We do not recommend any kind of specific netting. Any netting that can withstand adverse weather and has openings that are less than 3/8ths of an inch.
Good question. Thanks
I wonder what tree they lost in that spot now allowing for big mulch circle.
Sadly with cicadas primarily preferring to suckle native Ash roots along bottomlands, so many communities needlessly sacrificing heritage class American Ash trees to Chinese Emerald ash borer along with several million wild growing ashes.
So are you stating that they're only going to come to small trees what about the medium trees large can someone answer this
Thank you
I purchased a netting with 1/2 inch opening as I read that the cicada size is over 3/4th of an inch. Will this work?
Great question! Our recommendation is netting with holes no larger than 3/8ths of an inch. Cicadas are about 3/4ths of an inch long, but their bodies can be thinner and can easily squeeze through 1/2 inch net openings.
Beri neac
Holes are too large in the netting.