The 17-Year Cicadas Can Damage Your Trees

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — By now you’ve heard the cicadas are coming. In fact, they are practically here. Entomologists predict the periodical cicada that are on a 17-year reproduction cycle will start emerging from the soil in mass within the next several days, and some early emergence has been documented in parts of Tennessee. What you may not have heard is that those young fruit trees you planted this year, or maybe in the last few years, are in danger if you have a large cicada population in your area.

After all the noisy mating, the female periodical cicada will select woody shoots on trees and...