Rachel wrote:

Where is this tree located? The females of the 17-year cicadas, Brood
X, in
the Eastern USA are right now pruning the crowns of trees by slitting the
small uppermost branches to lay eggs. The breaking off of the small
branches
is how the next generation of cicadas gets down to the ground, where they
will burrow in and suck tree roots for the next 17 years. Our lawn in
a Blue
Ridge clearing is covered with chestnut oak, white oak, black cherry,
maple
and other fronds. Looking at the huge crowns of the oaks, 80-90 feet
up, you
can see dozens more pieces where the twigs are almost broken through,
about
read to fall.


Rachel,

I had not realized that this is the year for the 17-year cicadas. This
type of cicada does not reach our region. We are too far north. We have
the odd cicadas but mostly toward the end of the summer. I live in Canada.

Françoise.