![]() ![]() The purpose of tunneling to the surface in April is to construct an emergence hole while the soil is still moist. Then they will go back down about a foot for another month. In the early spring (April) of the emergence year, the nearly mature nymphs will tunnel to the soil surface once the soil has thawed and warmed. These eggs hatch in August and the newly emerged nymphs drop to the soil and burrow in to the root zone of the tree where they will feed on roots for the next 17 years. In mid-late June, adult females insert their long and sharp ovipositors deep in the 2-3 year old shoots of the host tree and lay 8-10 eggs, They continue to move down the stem repeating this process many more times. Adults are about 1 1/2" in length and are the largest of the homoptera in the Northeast. However, previously stressed or very young trees may be severely injured or killed. Egg-laying may kill many 2-3 year old shoots but, given a 17 year appearance cycle, this should not cause long term injury. It has long been believed that this is the only injury caused by these insects but in recent years there is evidence that the immatures in the soil may cause injury to landscape trees growing on stressful sites, such as in compacted soils. It is this extensive oviposition that kills the shoots. ![]() Adult females lay eggs in the 2-3 year old stems of deciduous woody plants, especially oaks. This specific cicada species appears every 17 years as an adult. Pest: Periodical Cicada ( Magicicada septendecim (Linn)) ![]()
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