Periodical cicada

The Periodical cicada (genus Magicicada) is a member of the order Hemiptera and the family Cicadidae. These insects are world-famous for their synchronized, long-term life cycles of 13 or 17 years. During these years, they remain underground, emerging en masse only when their specific brood cycle is completed.

These insects primarily target deciduous trees and shrubs. Their feeding habits and reproductive behavior pose a significant threat to fruit orchards, including apples, pears, peaches, and various stone fruits. Forest and ornamental trees, such as oaks and maples, are also frequent targets, leading to localized damage in nurseries and plantations.

The biological development of the periodical cicada is one of the most remarkable in the insect world. Nymphs spend over a decade feeding on xylem fluid from the roots of host plants. Once they emerge as adults, they focus entirely on mating and laying eggs. The massive density of emerging insects often creates intense competition for survival within the local ecosystem.

The primary economic damage is caused by the females during the egg-laying process. By using their sharp ovipositors to cut deep slits into tender twigs, they cause structural weakness in the wood. This damage leads to flagging, where twigs dry out, break, and die off, often acting as entry points for pathogens and secondary fungal diseases.

Management strategies focus on prevention and physical barriers:

• Installing fine-mesh netting over small trees to prevent females from reaching branches to lay eggs.
• Avoiding the planting of young trees in the season immediately preceding a scheduled emergence of a known brood.
• Applying systemic or contact insecticides during the emergence period, although effectiveness is often limited by the sheer volume of the population.
• Pruning and destroying damaged branch tips promptly to remove eggs before they hatch and fall to the ground.