06/10/2024
The calls keep on coming in... No this isn't:
Sudden Oak Death, Fall out from jet plane contrails, Acid rain, Auto exhaust, Herbicide damage, Solar radiation from the solar storm/northern lights, Methane from cow flatulence, the effects of climate change, or microwaves/cell phone transmissions.
This "flagging" is a normal part of a periodic cicada emergence year. The dead branch tips occur when female cicadas lay their eggs in small slits on twigs. These slits are made by their long, knife-like ovipositor. Heavily damaged twigs and small branches may wilt and break off. Some injured branches may not die the first year, but wounded areas will be weak sites that may eventually break off in a windstorm.
Healthy mature trees and shrubs tolerate cicada twig damage, and typically experience some harmless natural pruning. It is usually unnecessary to prune out any visible cicada damage on larger trees, as dead twigs will likely fall off and larger branches are unaffected.
