Antennaria@aol.com wrote: >Jim McKinney's signature block reminded me of a recent sight. Two weeks ago I travelled to Maryland (unfortunately, due to a death in my family), but I was astounded to see the extent of tree damage, on trees of all types everywhere one looks, some trees much more devestated than others. The last 12" or so of each leafy branch is dead, hanging down at right angle to the horizontal branching. Is this the cicada damage? Do they bore into the wood of the branches near the ends of branches, to lay eggs or something, causing the branch ends to collapse and hang down. Jim, I'm wondering in your garden, do the cicadas cause harm to herbaceous plants and bulbs? > > > G Day All from Australia (Down Under ) Re Cicada's Although I haven't researched them I always understood that the insect bored it's way to the surface of the ground after 7 years leaving a shell attached to a post or tree or something similar . We have had thousands of them leaving half inch holes all over the garden this last summer . Haven't thought about what they were 7years ago . Kind regards Ron Moodycliffe