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As summer settles in, we’re spending more and more time outdoors. Between backyard barbecues, evenings sipping iced tea on the porch, and nights telling stories around the fire pit, there’s no shortage of reasons to be outside. The only downside here (besides the unforgiving Georgia heat) is the bugs – mosquitoes, to be exact. The little bloodsuckers can make your life miserable, not to mention itchy. It’s tempting to grab the strongest pesticide you can find and spray everything down to keep your property mosquito-free. But that might actually be the worst thing you could do! As it turns out, many common ways of dealing with mosquitoes can be dangerous, either to the mosquito population, the local ecosystem, or even to you and your family! So how can you deal with those pesky pests? National Mosquito Control Awareness WeekNext week, June 19th through the 25th, is National Mosquito Control Awareness Week. Hosted by the American Mosquito Control Association, this annual event aims to educate the public on the best and safest ways to deal with mosquitoes. Their integrated mosquito management (IMM) approach includes five steps that anyone can follow:  1. Educate Yourself Most people don’t really think about mosquitoes until they’ve got an itchy bite on their arm or leg. But successful mosquito management depends heavily on controlling the population before this stage in the mosquitoes’ life cycle. In order for mosquito eggs to develop into pupa (baby mosquitoes), they have to be exposed to water. Generally speaking, mosquitoes will choose to lay their eggs in pools of standing water to keep the eggs hydrated until they hatch. Standing water naturally occurs in depressions in the ground or low points on your property. But water can also collect in man-made locations. There are some obvious spots, like a flower pot forgotten in the corner of your porch, or a decorative bird bath. There are also some not-so-obvious spots, because water can pool almost anywhere. The less-than-a-mouthful of water gathered on the swing of your backyard playset is more than enough for a mosquito to brood. Even the divot in the lap of your favorite garden gnome probably holds just enough liquid to host some mosquito eggs. To truly control the mosquito population in your area, you’ll need to attack at the source – that is, the eggs. 2. Surveillance/Scouting Now that you know where mosquito babies come from, it’s time to figure out where specifically they’re coming from around your home. Have a look around to see if there’s any visible standing water, or any places that could house standing water the next time it rains, or your sprinklers water your lawn. Wide surveillance is the best surveillance, of course, so the more information you can gather on where mosquitoes might be nesting, the better. Talk to your neighbors to see if they’ve got any candidate locations, or take a walk around the block and see what the sidewalks look like. 3. Source Reduction So you know where mosquitoes lay their eggs, and now you know where mosquitoes could lay their eggs near you. It’s time to prevent that! The most popular method is called ‘tip and toss.’ Basically, empty out those standing water locations! The American Mosquito Control Association recommends checking your surroundings for standing water at least once a week during the warmer months, and of course, after every time it rains. While you’re at it, you can also do what you can to prevent any more water from gathering. This might look like moving some mulch around to fill in the lower areas of your yard, or tupping that flower pot upside-down so it can’t collect any more water. Maybe your garden gnome needs a little ceramic frog to sit in his lap, so the little divot there can’t fill up, either. 4. Larvicide The last two steps do involve the use of insecticides, but it’s important to note that larvicide comes first. Larvicide just means using pesticides designed specifically to impact the larval stages of life, rather than the adult stages. A variety of biological control agents exist that can be distributed into standing water where eggs or larvae already exist to prevent them from developing into adults. 5. Adulticide The last resort, adulticide, refers to the use of pesticides to kill off adult pests. The danger here is that pesticides can’t target just one type of pest – so while you’ll definitely kill off those mosquitoes, you might also kill off the local bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. In addition, some pesticides can be harmful to the environment. If you must look to adulticide, be sure to do your research and find the best and most environmentally-friendly insecticide for your area, and of course, follow the application instructions exactly. A lot of insecticide pollution could be avoided by only applying what the directions say to, rather than spraying anything and everything in sight. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
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 For the past 150 years, America has celebrated an annual tree-planting holiday, known as National Arbor Day. And for the last 50 years, the Arbor Day Foundation has helped fund, plan, and spread the word about this holiday and the importance of planting trees. What is the Arbor Day Foundation?While our country has celebrated Arbor Day since 1872, the Arbor Day Foundation wasn’t established until 1972. Its mission? Plant as many trees as possible, in as many places as possible. Thanks to these efforts, the Arbor Day Foundation has contributed nearly 500 million trees across over 50 countries around the world! How do they do it?The Arbor Day Foundation does more than just spread the word about tree planting. Their efforts reach all across the world! One such effort is Tree City USA, a program established with the USDA Forest Services and National Associate of State Foresters. Tree City USA supports and encourages cities to maintain their urban forests. In its first year back in 1976, 46 different cities in America participated in this program. In 2022, more than 3,600 cities are involved! Tree City USA expanded in 2018 with the Tree Cities of the World branch, which reaches cities on every continent (except Antarctica) in over 55 countries across the globe. The Community Tree Recovery program is another effort to keep up our tree population, this time by providing free trees to community members who have lost trees due to natural disasters. Tree Campus Higher Education consists of nearly 400 higher education campuses, all of which follow the program’s best tree care practices. The Arbor Day Foundation is partnered with the US Forest Service to assist in the reforestation of our national forests. What’s the point?All this might seem like a lot of fuss about trees – and it is! Trees are vital to our communities and to our planet. Not only do they create the oxygen we need to breathe, but they also filter out harmful pollutants and carbon dioxide. This has the dual effect of making our air cleaner for us to breathe, and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which helps slow the buildup that contributes to climate change. Trees also help support the local ecosystem by providing shelter, food, and nesting grounds for a variety of species. Their root systems help reduce erosion, and their canopies can actually cool the temperatures in the area by shading the blazing sun. Plus, we as a species just really, really like trees. We’ve talked before about the healing power of trees; a simple walk through the park can help soothe mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety! Hospital patients who can see trees from their windows even recover faster! How can you get involved?If you want to help out the Arbor Day Foundation, or just participate in the Arbor Day celebration this year, there are a few ways you can get involved: Post to social media! During the week of Arbor Day, the Arbor Day Foundation is planting one tree for each individual Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook post that has the hashtag #ArborDay (up to 75,000 trees!). Plus, this year, Kimberly-Clark has agreed to match those efforts, meaning that you post about the holiday will plant two trees! Join the Foundation! By making a one-time donation in the amount of your choice, you can become a member of the Arbor Day Foundation, and receive 10 free trees to plant. Whether you plant them in your yard or pass them around your community, that’s 10 more trees in the world. You can also choose to have your 10 trees sent to one of America’s national forests, or even the rain forest! In addition to your trees, a membership with the Foundation includes a subscription to the bimonthly Arbor Day newsletter, a copy of The Tree Book to guide you in planting and caring for your trees, and discounts on trees and shrubs purchased in the Online Tree Nursery. Donate! You can support the Foundation by sending a one-time donation, or set up a recurring one. The money you contribute will assist the Arbor Day Foundation in planting trees across the world. Spread the Word! If you tell 5 friends about Arbor Day, and 3 of those friends decide to join the Foundation, that’s 30 trees planted! And if those 5 friends tell 5 friends, who tell 5 other friends… the amount of trees planted this year will explode exponentially. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. Poinsettias, Christmas cacti, Cyclamen, and Frosty Ferns are all classic Christmas plants you’ll find everywhere during the holidays. But while they’re popular in the winter, these poor things are actually tropical plants that need lots of sunshine and warm weather to survive. To help them out in our fickle Georgia climate, they’ll need some regular maintenance. Remove the WrappingFestive holiday plant gifts usually come in little plastic pots swaddled in shiny, metallic paper. One of the best things you can do for your new green friend is to get them out of that suffocating environment and give them some room to breathe! Set in the SunFinding direct sunlight in your home isn’t always an option, but luckily, plants can make do with ambient light. Set your Christmas cacti up by a window that brings in a lot of light during the day (even if it doesn’t seem like “direct” sunlight), and you’ll have one happy plant! Mind the DraftMost Christmas plants prefer warmer weather, but what they want more than anything is consistent weather. Don’t place a poinsettia right by a door that opens a lot, or an air vent where your AC will come blasting when things heat up outside. Water When NeededIt can be hard to set up a timed watering schedule for any plant, but for tropical ones, all you have to do is check the dirt. Stick your finger in about an inch or two. If it comes out dry, it’s time to water! If moist soil clings to your skin, then your plant has enough water for now. Don’t Forget Drainage!If the pot your poinsettia came in already has drainage holes, then great! But if it doesn’t, be sure to transfer it into something water can drain out of. Without drainage, the soil will stay waterlogged, which can rot the roots, grow mold, and overall kill your plant. For more in-depth tips for your specific Christmas plant, check out HomeStead Gardens handy guide! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. As we near the end of the holiday season, many people are ready to take down their ornaments and get rid of their tree. But wait! Before you toss that dying fir out with the garbage, have you considered recycling it? Bring One for the Chipper is a nation-wide movement to recycle as many Christmas trees as possible. Why should you recycle your Christmas tree?Throughout the month of January, landfills are often overwhelmed with the number of Christmas trees they receive. As you can probably imagine, depending on the size and health of the tree at the time of disposal, those babies can take up a lot of room. Bring One for the Chipper’s mission is to reduce the number of trees that end up in our landfills, and help out the environment along the way! What happens to recycled Christmas trees?Like the name suggests, most trees in the Bring One for the Chipper program go through a woodchipper. This generates mulch that can then be donated to places like public parks, public and private playgrounds, city scaping projects, and even individual yards. In some locations, a few trees will be saved from chipping to instead be sunk into local lakes. This creates new habitats for fish and other marine life to flourish! How can you recycle your Christmas tree?Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful is partnering once again with Bring One for the Chipper to make recycling your Christmas tree easier than ever. This year, the event kicks off at 9am on Saturday, January 8th. From 9am until 1pm, you can bring your undecorated tree to one of multiple drop-off locations:
If January 8th isn’t a good day for you, never fear! Check out the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation’s list of statewide drop-off locations. Be sure to remove all ornaments, Christmas lights, and any other decorations from your tree before you bring it for chipping. This year, you can also drop off wreath metal and light strings to be recycled as well! To learn more about this initiative and how you can participate, check out Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. Whether you’re an avid insect enthusiast or just a casual observer, pretty much everyone knows what the Monarch butterfly looks like. Their bright orange wings are easy to identify, and most of us learned about them and their unique migration pattern in elementary school. Monarch butterflies are sensitive to temperature, and can’t survive the cold of North American winters. So each year, they travel from their homes in Canada and the northern states down to warmer weather, usually settling in Mexico or along the coast of California. Did You Know?Monarch butterflies use air currents and the Earth’s magnetic field to propel them on their journey Their actual departure depends on any given year’s weather, but on average, Monarchs head south around October, and return home around February. It’s this return trip that makes their migration pattern so unique. Monarch butterflies are the only species of butterfly known to embark on this kind of two-way migration. Two-way migration means that a single generation of the species in question travels from one location to another, and then back again. Monarchs, in this case, travel south for the winter, as they can’t survive colder temperatures. Once things warm up again, they head back north to their normal habitat. The Monarch migration is also noteworthy for its span – the Monarch migration route is one of the longest in the animal kingdom, covering over 3,000 miles. Along the way, Monarchs make many stops for food and rest. Here in Georgia, the Monarchs we see are just passing through on their way to their overwinter destination. What is the Monarch Butterfly Count?Every year, conservation organizations like Monarch Joint Venture and Western Monarch Count band together to monitor the Monarch butterfly population. This process can vary, but the general idea is to get a count of how many Monarch butterflies stop by a certain location so we can track their numbers as they migrate to and from home. Counting butterflies is no mean feat, but it’s important. The Monarch butterfly is endangered, with its population decreasing every year. Keeping track of both their migration patterns and their numbers each year helps conservationists and environmental scientists learn how best to support the species so they can thrive. How can I help?One of the biggest ways you can contribute to the preservation of Monarchs is by giving them a place to rest on their long journey. Plant a variety of native nectar plants for them to choose from, and make sure to include lots of milkweed, their preferred host plant. With the food, shelter, and water these plants provide, the butterflies will have everything they need to keep going. Even if all you can plant is a single pot with one milkweed plant, you’re still doing your part! Every stem counts. If you’d like to get involved even further, check out these resources from Monarch Joint Venture to find conservation efforts near you. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. It’s October, which means Halloween is right around the corner. And whether you’ve put up decorations or not, most houses still look the part – thanks to some large golden spiders and their larger golden webs. These creepy crawlies are Joro spiders, an invasive species that’s been spreading across Georgia (and the Southeast) for the last few years. The Joro InvasionUnlike most invasive species, which can be detrimental to the environments they invade, Joros are actually pretty harmless. They don’t prey on any crops, and don’t have any special preferences for their meals, so they aren’t likely to decimate any native insect populations. In fact, Joros have actually aided in reducing the number of brown stinkbugs. The main drawback of the Joro invasion right now is the sheer amount of them. Their population keeps growing exponentially season after season, but luckily, leading scientists studying them believe that their numbers will level out with time. Thankfully, Joro spiders don’t present any danger to us humans. While they look pretty scary, and can definitely be a nuisance when they build a web right outside your front door, they are unlikely to try and take a bite unless provoked. Even then, their mouths are so small, they can’t really do any damage. As with most creatures in nature, if you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone. What do Joro spiders look like?As with many arachnids, the males of the species are diminutive and less noticeable. Though they can often be found along the same web as the female Joros, you likely won’t be able to spot the males at all. Their muted, orange-ish brown coloring helps them blend easily into their environment. The Joro spiders everyone’s talking about are the females. With their thick abdomen and long legs, female Joros are easily one of the more intimidating arachnids in our area. Their bodies are striped with a bright yellow and a muted greenish black, and their legs are shiny black with golden bands. The splash of red on the underside of their abdomens makes them even more intimidating, as red coloring is nature often means “Danger!” Aren’t they just banana spiders?Female Joro spiders are often confused with banana spiders thanks to their yellow coloring, and that moniker isn’t 100% incorrect. “Banana spider” is a term used to refer to at least five different arachnid variations of orb-weavers. The Joro spider is also an orb-weaver, and is very similar in appearance to the classic banana spiders. The easiest way to tell the difference between a Joro spider and a banana spider is the web. Banana spider webs look just like you expect a classic one to, with each strand nearly invisible from how thin it is. Banana spiders usually create a single thick zig-zag line bisecting the center of their web that earns them the nickname “writing spiders.” Joro webs, on the other hand, are made of thick golden strands that appear much more half-hazard than standard spider webs. This, along with their sheer massive size, make them fairly easy to spot, and therefore fairly easy to avoid. What can I do to get rid of them?Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot we can do right now to reduce their numbers. Right now, they’re almost like hydras; for every Joro you kill, two more will take its place. But they won’t be around forever. Most Joros will have died off by the end of November. Leading UGA entomologists encourage you to leave them be. While they may not be a joy to have around, they do help control the pest population, and can decrease the number of bugs you see in your home as the weather cools. In the meantime, their webs all over your porch certainly make for a spooky Halloween decoration! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.  You’ve heard of the census, of course. Periodically, we all respond to a variety of questions that help keep our country up-to-date. But have you heard of the Great Georgia Pollinator Census? What is the Great Georgia Pollinator Census?Once a year, the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences organizes the Great Georgia Pollinator Census, or GGAPC for short. This project catalogues the pollinator population in our state by recording the frequency with which different pollinators visit pollen-bearing plants. Why is that important?Pollinators are, of course, vital to their ecosystems, but they are also vital to our way of life. There are more than 180,000 species that pollinators visit to assist with their reproductive process. 1,200 of those species are major crops that sustain our society! To put that in perspective, think of it this way: approximately 1 out of every 3 bites of food you take is thanks to pollinators. In addition to supporting our food supply, pollinators also ensure the continuation of all life on earth. That may sound drastic, but without pollinators assisting them, somewhere between 75% to 95% of all plant life wouldn’t be able to reproduce, which means their species would die out. Plants produce the oxygen we breathe and help keep the air clean. No plants means no oxygen, and no oxygen means no humans! How can you help?Contributing to the pollinator census is easy, especially with the GGAPC’s helpful census worksheet ! On August 20th or August 21st, go outside and sit in view of a pollinator plant. It can be your favorite flowering bush in your garden, a cluster of wildflowers on the sidewalk, or something found at the local park.  For 15 minutes, watch your chosen plant and write down the pollinators that land there. The census categorizes pollinators like this:
Keep a tally for each category, and when your 15 minutes are up, submit the numbers you recorded to the Great Georgia Pollinator Census’s website. Can anyone participate? Yes! You don’t have to be an entomologist (someone who studies bugs) to help out with the census. If you’re still unsure about the different categories of pollinators, the GGAPC has a detailed guide with pictures, descriptions, and other information to help you figure things out. You can also check out their video guide on YouTube for a walk-through of the process. What about kids?Absolutely! The GGAPC encourages kids across the state to join in (with parental supervision, of course). This project is a great way to get kids outdoors and engaged with the natural world around them. It also makes for a great introductory STEM exercise, and is perfect for class activities as well as at-home adventuring. If you’re interested in participating in the Great Georgia Pollinator Census, check out their website for more information at GGAPC.org. You can also visit their Facebook group for updates, event details, and other fun community activities! Looking for more ways to contribute? One of the best things to do for pollinators is to grow them some food! Check out our article on what to plant to attract pollinators so you can support their population, and enjoy some pretty flowers to boot! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. May is bright and colorful as everything begins to bloom. As the saying goes: April showers bring May flowers. In addition to colorful petals, we will soon see just how many shades of green there are! One of the hallmarks of this time of year is the buzzing of bees and fluttering of butterflies. In fact, May is when pollinators come out in full force. These seemingly insignificant members of the ecosystem are actually the most vital. You’ve probably heard of the #savethebees movement. In addition to large-scale corporate efforts, communities all over the world are coming together to help out their local pollinator populations. One way you can contribute is by participating in No Mow May. What is No Mow May?No Mow May is exactly what the name says. It means you don’t mow your lawn for the month of May. Whether you have a 5x5 foot yard in front of your apartment or multiple sprawling acres, No Mow May means you let the plants on your property grow uninhibited. How does No Mow May help? When you mow your lawn, you aren’t just cutting down your grass to a uniform length. You also take down any weeds that have dared encroach on your property. In colder months, this isn’t really a problem. But these wildflowers and wild grasses are a major source of food and nesting ground for pollinators. Our flying friends need these resources to do their job, and without them, they won’t be able to pollinate as much as normal. What is pollination?Pollination is a fancy word for when a plant’s reproductive genetic material (pollen) is transferred from the anther (the male part) to the stigma (the female part). This is the first step of the life cycle of plants. Without it, any seeds the plant bears won’t be able to grow, and the plant won’t be able to contribute to the next generation. Pollination can happen in a variety of ways. While some plant species can actually self-pollinate, most require assistance. Wind and water pollination happen when the natural elements carry pollen from one flower to another. But the most common form of pollination is via pollinators like birds, bees, butterflies, bats, flies, wasps, and even some small mammals. Why do we need pollination?Something like 75% to 95% of all flowering plants on the entire planet fall into the category of species that need help pollinating. That means that almost every flower, bush, and tree you see on a daily basis requires a pollinator of some kind. To put it in perspective, consider this: of the more than 180,000 different species that pollinators visit, approximately 1,200 of those are crops humans use as foodstuffs. For even more perspective, that means that approximately 1 bite of food out of every 3 bites is thanks to pollinators. What can you do to help?No Mow May as a movement was designed to not only ensure pollinators have everything they need to do their thing, but also to draw public attention to the dwindling pollinator populations across the globe. As our cities grow and we develop more and more land, we reduce the available area for biodiversity. In addition, human creations like pesticides and other pollutants kill off both the plants our pollinators need and our pollinators themselves. Participating in No Mow May is an easy, short-term way you can help boost your local ecosystem. If you want to take a more active role, you can plant species that specifically attract pollinators. Want to learn more? Check out these resources! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. Every year, green cicadas pop up in late spring and early summer and start “singing.” Of course, to us, it sounds a whole lot more like screaming! The shed skins of cicadas (which we always thought look a little like cicada ghosts) will litter the sides of houses and trunks of trees. And then, just as suddenly as the screaming started, it’ll stop, and the cicadas will be gone until next spring. But this year, things are going to be a little different, because 2021 marks the return of Brood X. The name sounds a bit intimidating, but it’s really just the Roman Numeral for 10. Brood X is the 10th generation of a line of 17-year periodical cicadas. What does that mean? To understand, we’ll have to take a look at the life cycle of cicadas. The Life Cycle of CicadasAdult cicadas vibrate their tymbal organs, which are membranes on both sides of their abdomen, in order to attract other cicadas in the area. This vibration creates the roar we associate with cicada breeding season, and can easily approach 100 decibels. That’s about as much sound as a leaf blower or chain saw! Once enough cicadas have gathered together, males will begin courting females with courtship calls. Females express their return interest by an audible flick of their wings, adding even more noise to the chorus. After mating, the female cicada will find a small, thin branch or twig to lay her eggs. Using a rigid appendage on her abdomen, the cicada gouges a line into the wood where she then deposits batches of 20 to 30 eggs. The average female can lay around 600 eggs, which means she can do this upwards of 30 times! Fertilized eggs will develop in their nests for about 6 to 10 weeks before hatching. You’re probably familiar with the idea that many bug species start their lives out as larvae. Cicadas, on the other hand, have what’s called a gradual metamorphosis. So, instead of larvae, they’re called nymphs. Freshly-emerged cicada nymphs drop to the ground immediately after vacating their eggs, and then burrow into the ground within a few minutes. They’ll settle about a foot or so beneath the surface and attach themselves quickly to a food source. Nymphs usually prefer the small roots of trees, but are also known to attack the roots of grasses and other herbaceous plants as well. Using their sucking mouth, they pierce the root and draw out xylem fluid (water and nutrients transported between plant cells). Cicada nymphs will shed their skin a few times underground, and then once more above ground before their exoskeleton hardens and they are officially adults, where they repeat the cycle over again. What makes Brood X different?The cicadas we see annually are green in color, and relatively reasonable in number. You see them around, and they sure make a lot of noise, but they aren’t exactly overwhelming. Brood X, on the other hand, is made up of periodical cicadas. They are brown to black in color, with yellowish wings. “Periodical” is used to describe species that go dormant between generations. In the case of cicadas, there are two types: 13-year periodical and 17-year periodical. The nymphs of periodical cicada species hide underground for 13 or 17 years at a time before re-emerging as adults to breed. Brood X is the newest generation of 17-year periodical cicadas. The parents of this generation mated and laid their eggs in 2004. In the last 17 years, the nymphs have been feeding and shedding about a foot underground. This May, over a trillion Brood X nymphs are expected to pop out of the ground and shed their skin one final time before spreading their wings and beginning their adult lives. The Danger to Your TreesWith trillions of cicadas emerging, at least half of them female, and each female capable of filling over 30 nests… that’s a lot of gouges in a lot of trees. The cuts needed for a cicada to lay her eggs are pretty shallow and not very long, but they can still do some damage. There’s also concern that the open wounds may allow pests a to get a foothold into your tree, or bacteria an entry point to infect. As cicadas prefer to lay their eggs in small, thin branches, they usually pick young twigs near the end of their main branch. Though the injury isn’t that big, it’s more than enough to kill off the twig. Older, well-established trees can handle the death of some twigs just fine. The dead ends usually drop off in the weeks following the cicada laying her eggs. In some cases, the twigs recover, though the location of the nest will probably be structurally weaker than the rest of the branch. Younger and smaller trees, on the other hand, may be in genuine danger from Brood X. Plant nurseries, orchards, strawberry and blueberry farms, and even landscaping trees planted in parking lots and along city streets are all likely to be targeted by this new generation. What can you do?So how can you protect your trees from the onslaught of egg-laying cicadas? The popular answer is to spray a lot of pesticide. Unfortunately, most pesticides will do nothing to discourage female cicadas from a potential nesting site. Any pesticide strong enough to deter them will likely end up hurting your tree in the process. The tried-and-true solution for protecting young trees from cicadas is mesh barriers. 1.0-centimeter mesh, to be exact. Studies have shown that trees protected with 2.5-cm mesh were just as damaged as trees not protected at all. Basically, that means you need pretty tightly-woven mesh to keep cicadas out. If the gaps between threads are more than a single centimeter, the pesky bugs will worm their way in and go about their egg-laying like normal. Looking for more information? Check out the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences article. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. Classic City Arborists is a family-owned business started right here in our very own Athens, Georgia. We’re proud to bleed red and black (go Dawgs!), and our Athens heritage is just as much a part of our company as our honest work ethic and loyal customers. As you probably know, Athens is an old town with lots of rich history. This city is made of relics from years past that stand alive and well today, like the Arch on UGA campus and most of downtown. But there’s some history of Athens that isn’t locked away in buildings or structures. Some of our city’s legacy lives in its trees. Tree That Owns ItselfIf you’ve lived in Athens for any length of time, you’ve probably heard of the Tree That Owns Itself. This once-massive white oak stood on the corner of Dearing Street and South Finley Street. A faded plaque at its base explained that this tree was deeded itself by former owner, Colonel William H. Jackson. According to legend (and a newspaper article or two), Col. Jackson grew up by this tree, and loved it dearly. So much so, in fact, that in his will, that left the tree and all land 8 feet in all directions to the tree itself. At the time, this presented something of a legal conundrum. How can a tree own itself? But the City of Athens, after some time, officially recognized the tree’s right. Unfortunately, the Tree That Owns Itself was damaged during an ice storm in 1907. After many years of erosion near its base, root rot, and other conditions, the 100-foot-tall oak fell to the ground. It was replaced in 1964 by one of its seedlings that had been cultivated by Captain Jack Watson. Thus, the Son of the Tree That Owns Itself legally inherited itself and all land 8 feet in every direction from its base. Spec Towns OakThe Spec Towns Oak is named after Olympic track and field star Spec Towns. After winning a gold medal in the high hurdles, Towns’ athletic director Herman Stegeman presented him with an oak from the Black Forest in Berlin. This oak was planted behind the North Stands of Sanford Stadium and stood for just over 30 years. However, in 1967, the stadium was expanded. The Spec Towns Oak was moved elsewhere on campus, but the team in charge failed to dig a hole large enough for the tree’s root system. To solve this, they cut back the roots until everything fit. Unfortunately, this led to the tree’s death not long after. The late Dean of Men, Mr. William Tate, got into contact with Berlin and managed to have a replacement tree from the Black Forest brought to campus. That tree also died, for unknown reasons (usually attributed to problems surviving the international trip). But as luck would have it, an acorn of this replacement tree was saved, and planted successfully. So now, the Son of the Half-Brother of the Specs Town Oak survives on the south end of the Spec Towns Track. The Pecan Tree Courtyard at the Georgia Center for Continuing EducationYou might not find this one on a list of historic landmarks for our city, but we certainly think it’s worth a visit. The Georgia Center for Continuing Education features a wildly popular restaurant with courtyard seating centered around a large pecan tree. Pecan trees are known for their stunning foliage displays (and of course, their delicious pecans), and many believe this tree and the view it provides has contributed to the restaurant’s success over the years. The Tree RoomThe Tree Room, located at 159 Oneta Street, is known for the large mulberry tree growing inside it. In the 1960s, some kind of fire or other incident left most of the space exposed to nature, with much of the inside charred or burned. For many decades, it stood empty, and it was during this period that the mulberry tree began to grow. Over time, the building was used for a variety of purposes: a squat house for travelers, a dumping ground for a neighboring concrete plant, and even a playground for local children. Now, the building has been transformed into an event space owned by Athenians Ashely and Doug Booher, who discovered the building and tree as children and grew to love it. Most of the original architecture still stands, with accommodations made in the name of safety and design. The name “the Tree Room” comes from the toddler of one of the Booher’s friends, and is proudly used by the public to refer to this stunning natural display. UGA ArboretumIf you’re looking for more beautiful trees to look at, then you should definitely pay a visit to the University of Georgia’s Arboretum. Where is the Arboretum, you ask? Across the entire campus! The founders of UGA didn’t want to dedicated any one location as an arboretum, because they didn’t want it to be inaccessible to anyone in town. Instead, they treated the entire campus as an arboretum, planting a wild range of species all over. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. |
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23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24