Tibicen lyricens in Lunenburg, MA

Posted By: Massachusetts Cicadas | On: 2010-12-03 | Website:

Hi Richard

Thanks for the photos. Got two of them. Feel free to send me any more photos through this email.

I have to ask, did you happen to keep any of these specimens? I would we willing to pick them up.

Also, don't be surprised if more come up over the next couple of days. That sure is a record. Also just because the tree may seem unhealthy, it may still take several years for the roots to die off.

As to species, these all look like Tibicen lyricen cicadas. I just had two come up on my Dogwood tree last night.

Thanks for the information, I will add it to my database.

Posted By: Rich Brockelman | On: 2010-12-03 | Website:

Hi Gerry

Thanks for the reply and thanks for the identification. No, I did not even think to keep any. Sorry.

I have not seen any more emerging. Still count 11 shells? on the tree.

I know one of the photos I sent but not sure of the other. I will attach a few to this message. Hope they are not too big to email.

The tree they were on is in BAD shape! I will attach a photo of it. Hard to believe cicadas could have done this much damage.

Regards,
Rich

Posted By: Massachusetts Cicadas | On: 2010-12-03 | Website:

Hi Rich

Thanks for the additional photos very nice.

A few years back there was an Ash tree in one of our local cemeteries that was diseased. You could see that it was dying because like your tree only some of the leaves bloomed while other areas were just dead. Over the next few years, every spring there were fewer and fewer blooms. Despite this, the cicadas still emerged from the tree two years later until the grounds keepers finally cut it down.

I seriously doubt that cicadas were the cause of this tree's demise. Rather, it may be that your tree caught some sort of disease or perhaps some other parasite has infected it. An arborist would be able to make an accurate diagnosis and perhaps reverse the problem if it isn't too late.

Cicadas, while feeding on the xylem of tree roots in their juvenile state are noted for doing little to no damage to trees. In fact cicadas can benefit trees because they aerate the soil as the move around and create chambers around tree roots in which to feed.

Hope this helps.

Posted By: Rich Brockelman | On: 2010-12-03 | Website:

Hi Gerry

Yes, we did have an arborist look at the tree prior to the cicadas emergence. He thinks the tree was suffering from
something called "verticillium wilt" (although he could not find hard evidence of it). It is a soil-borne fungus for which there is no cure.
Thanks for easing our minds about possibility that the cicadas were a problem.

Rich