Natural Ways to Repel 17-Year Periodical Cicadas from Gardens

Every 17 years, parts of the United States face an extraordinary natural event: the emergence of periodical cicadas. These fascinating insects, with their distinctive red eyes and loud chorus, can be both a marvel and a challenge, especially for gardeners. While cicadas do not bite or sting, their mass presence and egg-laying habits can cause significant damage to young trees and plants in your garden. If you’re looking for natural, eco-friendly methods to protect your garden from these periodic invaders, this article offers valuable insights and practical tips.

Understanding 17-Year Periodical Cicadas

Before diving into repellents, it’s important to understand these insects. The 17-year periodical cicadas (genus Magicicada) spend most of their lives underground as nymphs feeding on tree roots. After 17 years, they emerge en masse to mate and lay eggs on tree branches. This emergence creates a temporary but intense swarm of adults that can damage young trees by cutting slits in branches to deposit eggs.

Key points about periodical cicadas:
– They emerge every 13 or 17 years depending on the brood.
– They do not harm mature trees significantly but can damage young saplings.
– Their loud mating calls are a hallmark of late spring and early summer.

With this in mind, gardeners need strategies to protect vulnerable plants during these outbreak years.

Why Choose Natural Methods?

Many people might consider chemical pesticides to deter cicadas, but these can harm beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, contaminate soil, and upset garden ecosystems. Natural repellents are safe for the environment, pets, children, and promote sustainable gardening practices.

Natural methods also encourage biodiversity by preserving pollinator populations and beneficial predators that can help keep cicada numbers in check.

Effective Natural Ways to Repel Cicadas from Your Garden

1. Use Physical Barriers

One of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your plants is by using physical barriers that prevent cicadas from reaching branches where they lay eggs.

• Fine Mesh Netting: Cover small trees and shrubs with lightweight mesh or row covers during the peak emergence period (late April to June). Use a mesh size small enough to block cicadas but allow sunlight and water through.
• Garden Fabric: Floating row covers are breathable fabrics that protect plants without sealing them off completely.
• Netting Frames: Construct simple frames around saplings with wooden stakes and drape netting over them for added protection.

Remember to remove these barriers after the emergence period ends so plants can receive full sun and air circulation.

2. Encourage Natural Predators

Certain birds, mammals, reptiles, and even insects prey on cicadas. Encouraging these natural predators in your garden can reduce cicada populations naturally.

• Bird Feeders and Baths: Attract birds such as blue jays, crows, sparrows, and robins by providing food sources and water.
• Bat Houses: Bats are voracious insect eaters; installing bat houses nearby helps control general insect populations.
• Beneficial Insects: Spiders and praying mantises prey on adult cicadas.

Avoid using broad-spectrum insecticides that kill beneficial predators.

3. Promote Healthy Plant Growth

Cicada females prefer to lay eggs on stressed or weak branches because they are easier to cut into.

• Proper Watering: Keep plants well-watered during dry periods.
• Fertilization: Use organic compost or mulch to provide nutrients.
• Pruning: Regularly prune damaged or dead branches to promote strong growth less attractive for egg-laying.

Strong healthy trees withstand cicada activity better than stressed ones.

4. Plant Repellent Species

Some plants produce natural chemicals that repel cicadas or disrupt their ability to find suitable egg-laying sites.

• Alliums (Garlic, Onions): Their strong smell may deter insects.
• Marigolds: Known natural pest deterrents.
• Chrysanthemums: Contain pyrethrins which are natural insect repellents.

Interplanting these species throughout your garden may confuse or repel cicadas.

5. Use Homemade Natural Sprays

Creating your own natural sprays can help discourage cicadas from landing on your plants.

Garlic Spray

Ingredients:
– 2 cloves garlic
– 1 quart water
– A few drops of mild liquid soap (optional)

Instructions:
1. Crush garlic cloves and steep in boiling water for several hours.
2. Strain out solids.
3. Add soap as a surfactant if desired.
4. Spray directly on plant leaves and branches.

Garlic’s pungent odor repels many insects including cicadas.

Neem Oil Spray

Neem oil is derived from the neem tree and is widely used as a natural pesticide.

How to use:
– Mix neem oil with water according to package instructions.
– Spray affected plants once or twice weekly during the emergence period.

Neem interferes with insect feeding and reproduction without harming beneficial insects when used properly.

6. Avoid Attracting Cicadas Unintentionally

Since male cicadas produce loud mating calls with specialized membranes called tymbals to attract females:

• Avoid playing recordings of cicada sounds near your garden as this may draw them in.
• Minimize outdoor lighting at night which can attract various insects including cicadas’ predators that might disturb your garden balance.

7. Collect Cicada Exoskeletons

After molting, cicadas leave behind empty exoskeletons attached to stems or fences. Removing these may reduce local population clues for future emergences because some predators may also be attracted by these signs.

8. Timing Garden Activities Strategically

If you know which year a brood is emerging (there are maps available from universities or extension offices), schedule planting of vulnerable trees outside the emergence year so young plants are less exposed during critical periods.

Additional Tips for Managing Cicada Impact

While repelling them naturally is best, sometimes complete avoidance isn’t possible during large outbreaks. Here are some supplementary strategies:

• Protect Young Saplings: Wrap trunks with protective sleeves during emergence months.
• Post-Emergence Care: Prune damaged branches after egg-laying ends to promote healing.
• Mulch Heavily: Thick mulch reduces nymph survival by limiting ground temperature fluctuations where they develop underground.

Conclusion

The arrival of 17-year periodical cicadas is an awe-inspiring phenomenon that reminds us of nature’s rhythms but also poses challenges for gardeners. By adopting natural repellents such as physical barriers, encouraging predators, planting repellent species, using homemade sprays, and caring for plant health diligently, you can successfully protect your garden without harmful chemicals.

Embracing these eco-friendly methods ensures not only a safer environment but also fosters biodiversity that benefits your entire garden ecosystem year-round. Prepare ahead of time for the next emergence cycle by implementing these strategies, they truly make a difference when those buzzing invaders come knocking!

References available upon request.