"Archimedes Plutonium" wrote in message
...
Yesterday I had the pleasure of seeing a new insect. A huge wasp was
hovering
near a mound of gravel and dirt. I would find out it is a cicada wasp.
My they
are huge. And earlier this summer I saw huge mosquitoes to find out they
are
psorophora ciliata. Now I am seeing a huge wasp. And my apricot trees
seem to have a lot of cicadas. I notice some branches falling off,
perhaps cicada damage.

And I wonder about my cherry trees in that their leaves are okay but
curling. It has been dry but I wonder if their curling is caused by a
huge cicada population
underground feeding on the roots and sap? I wonder if cicadas are
attracted to
fruit tree orchards?

I do not want to spray insecticide. So I wonder how I can increase the
wasp population. Perhaps have a dirt mound every summer?

I wonder if cicadas can be a big problem to where they kill and destroy
fruit trees?

What birds eat cicadas?

And I think cicadas are one of the ugliest insects.

I wonder if anyone has invented some natural physical means of luring
cicadas
into a death trap.

Dry bare earth is one of the cicada wasps favorite site in which to burrow.
My deck is only about a foot above ground and dry, hot, dense bare earth
lies underneath and the cicada killers L-O-V-E it. Over the last three
years, they've come back annually for at least a six week stay. They look
intimidating but never bother us. They're even kind of fun to watch - they
almost seem to have personalities and are very attentive.

CK
Austin, TX