The Little Buggers are Mostly Harmless

This little critter was captured yesterday while
clinging to a boxwood shrub in the front yard.

There’s been a lot of publicity about the anticipated invasion of cicadas awakening from their 17-year sleep in the New Jersey soil.  But, at least from what I can observe, it’s been pretty much of a non-event. 

On the lookout for those insects for the last couple of weeks, I recently found dozens, if not hundreds around our home.  So far, though, there are no signs of any damage to trees or shrubs. 

There are hundreds of species of cicadas across the world, with about 100 different types in North America.  The kind which has garnered our attention this spring is known as Brood II of the Magicicada septendecim species – one of the most popular.  They emerge from the earth once every 17 years.  The last time was in 1996, when they overran seven middle and northeastern states, one of which is New Jersey.

From what I’ve been able to determine, the only harm that they cause occurs when they lay their eggs in branches half an inch or less in diameter.  That’s pretty minimal.  Although I don’t know to what extent there has been any damage in Somerset County, I’ve not uncovered any problems hereabouts.

Our household anticipated the ‘singing’ which is supposed to announce the cicadas’ above-ground arrival, but we didn’t hear anything. The first time that I saw any indication of their presence was a couple of days ago.  Pris and I found large groupings of them all over the front stairs leading to the entrance of the house. 

They clung to the front foundation, the boxwoods, and were splattered all over a peony plant on the front lawn – that was about it. 

However, they are now dying out, leaving their remains on the same terrain which they occupied.  It’s goodbye for another 17 years.

(Click on the image for an enhanced view.)