OK perhaps humming isn't the proper word...buzzing...droning...that's more like it! The cicadas are here and in action making a cacophony of sound all around. I noticed their cast off shells hanging on the tall grass foliage in the backyard while mowing the other evening but didn't see any actual cicadas until Thursday. My daughter and I went exploring in the backyard and we found this cicada hanging onto a leaf. It's one slightly bent wing makes it look a little like it may have just molted.
I know some gardeners have expressed concern over cicadas eating their vegetable gardens but I don't think there is anything to worry about - or if there is not much. So far there haven't been any encroachments into my garden and the cicadas have stayed mostly in the trees singing their songs. From what I know about cicadas (and I am no entomologist) they pretty much stick to those tree for their nesting and egg laying. Damage tends to be restricted to young branches where they lay their eggs. But if you do happen to see cicadas nibbling on your vegetables try covering the vegetables with a fine mesh netting - where the mesh is smaller than the cicadas. That should do the trick without any harmful sprays. Although I suspect you're more likely to see other regular garden insect pests munching on your maters than cicadas!
