As the cicadas retreat, you might start noticing the aftermath of their presence. One clear sign of cicada damage is "flagging," where young branch tips die off, marked by the slits where female cicadas laid their eggs. While this damage can kill small branch tips, rest assured that your plants are likely to recover in the long run. For younger trees, you can prune out any affected or dead branch tips.
Cicadas are gone, but they left tree scars!
cicada damage

Balanced Enviroments

July 8, 2024

Cicadas are gone, but they left scars!

As the cicadas retreat, you might start noticing the aftermath of their presence. One clear sign of cicada damage is “flagging,” where young branch tips die off, marked by the slits where female cicadas laid their eggs. While this damage can kill small branch tips, rest assured that your plants are likely to recover in the long run. For younger trees, you can prune out any affected or dead branch tips.

Understanding Cicada Damage:

  • Flagging: This is the most noticeable sign, where branches die back to about 12 inches from their tips, leaves turn brown, and the wood becomes brittle. This is a result of cicadas creating slits in the bark to lay their eggs, disrupting sap flow.
  • Twig Scarring: Puncture wounds from egg-laying join up to form a long scar on the underside of branches, which can disrupt sap flow and cause flagging.

Management Tips:

  • Pruning: If you can safely reach the dead tips, prune them back to a point where a healthy side shoot is growing. This will help the tree heal faster and improve its appearance.
  • Self-Repair: Trees will naturally grow through this damage. The speed of recovery varies by tree type. For instance, delayed branch dieback may occur in black gum, purple-leaf plum, photinia, lilac, and dogwood, but trees like hornbeam and Southern magnolia show rapid healing.

Other Pests to Watch Out For:

  • Bagworms: These pests cause more permanent damage, especially to evergreens like arborvitae. They build cocoons of dead needles, making them hard to spot. Handpicking and destroying the cocoons, or spraying with organic solutions can help control them.
  • Scale Insects: These insects can significantly damage ornamental woody plants and citrus. They cover themselves in a white waxy coat or dark carapace, making them hard to control with contact insecticides. Organic horticultural oils are effective against scale insects.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out to our Tree Department at BEI.

brown leaves

Branch dies back and leaves turn brown

tree pruning

Tree Pruning

Related Post

Transform Your Property Year-Round: Schedule Your 2025 Color Rotations

Transform Your Property Year-Round: Schedule Your 2025 Color Rotations

Transform Your Property Year-Round: Schedule Your 2025 Color Rotations
Get a head start on next year’s landscaping by planning your 2025 color rotations with Balanced Environments, LLC. A well-planned color rotation can elevate your property’s curb appeal, create inviting spaces, and ensure seasonal blooms that keep your landscape looking fresh and vibrant year-round.

Reap the Benefits of Urban Farming with Balanced Environments

Reap the Benefits of Urban Farming with Balanced Environments

Reap the Benefits of Urban Farming with Balanced Environments
Balanced Environments recently attended BOMA Suburban Chicago’s Urban Farming for Commercial Real Estate webinar, where industry experts explored how urban agriculture enhances property value, tenant engagement, and sustainability efforts. With innovative strategies from MicroHabitat, this webinar highlighted the transformative power of urban farming across a variety of CRE properties, helping participants understand its alignment with top building certifications and real estate value.

From Orchard to Landscape: How Fall’s Harvest Helps Your Garden Thrive!

From Orchard to Landscape: How Fall’s Harvest Helps Your Garden Thrive!

From Orchard to Landscape: How Fall’s Harvest Helps Your Garden Thrive!
Did you know that visiting your favorite local apple orchard, pumpkin patch, or vineyard does more than provide a fun fall outing? These Illinois staples contribute to 2.6% of the nation’s apple production and a growing share of pumpkin and wine production. Even more, they play a vital role in supporting landscapes—sometimes miles away!

Related Post

Transform Your Property Year-Round: Schedule Your 2025 Color Rotations

Transform Your Property Year-Round: Schedule Your 2025 Color Rotations

Transform Your Property Year-Round: Schedule Your 2025 Color Rotations
Get a head start on next year’s landscaping by planning your 2025 color rotations with Balanced Environments, LLC. A well-planned color rotation can elevate your property’s curb appeal, create inviting spaces, and ensure seasonal blooms that keep your landscape looking fresh and vibrant year-round.

Reap the Benefits of Urban Farming with Balanced Environments

Reap the Benefits of Urban Farming with Balanced Environments

Reap the Benefits of Urban Farming with Balanced Environments
Balanced Environments recently attended BOMA Suburban Chicago’s Urban Farming for Commercial Real Estate webinar, where industry experts explored how urban agriculture enhances property value, tenant engagement, and sustainability efforts. With innovative strategies from MicroHabitat, this webinar highlighted the transformative power of urban farming across a variety of CRE properties, helping participants understand its alignment with top building certifications and real estate value.

From Orchard to Landscape: How Fall’s Harvest Helps Your Garden Thrive!

From Orchard to Landscape: How Fall’s Harvest Helps Your Garden Thrive!

From Orchard to Landscape: How Fall’s Harvest Helps Your Garden Thrive!
Did you know that visiting your favorite local apple orchard, pumpkin patch, or vineyard does more than provide a fun fall outing? These Illinois staples contribute to 2.6% of the nation’s apple production and a growing share of pumpkin and wine production. Even more, they play a vital role in supporting landscapes—sometimes miles away!