(Newswire.net — May 8, 2013) Toronto, On — There are hundreds of sightings on the East Coast already reported, and the Smithsonian Institute expects one trillion of them during the 2013 Cicadas frenzy.
There are 2,500 species of cicada documented throughout the world, popularly Latin American, Australia, China, Malaysia, Congo, and Eastern USA. Most of the species are dormant for 13 to 17 years, where they reside as larvae, or nymph (an immature form of an invertebrate) and feed on the sap from various tree species by sucking it from the xylem.
“The nymphs feed on root juice until the ground reaches a specific temperature in May or June, and then use their strong legs to dig out of the ground.”, says arborist Jamie Firas, a specialist in his field and part-time Cicada enthusiast.
“I don’t know if part-time enthusiast can even describe it. I mean, imagine being underground for 17 years, because of your ancestors response to predators. Well, that’s one theory.”.
Once the 2013 Cicadas nymphs emerge from the soil they will shed their skin on a nearby plant or tree, and the males will begin song, or racket depending on who you are speaking with, to attract a mate. They will continue to mate and eat plant life in their ecosystem until they die or are eaten by birds or other prey.
“Cicadas will cause damage to cultivated crops, trees, and shrubs, mainly in the form of scarring left on branches. Usually the female Cicadas will lay their eggs deep in the bark or branch.”
And then the cycle repeats. The nymphs will hatch and drop to the ground and if they survive predators like mites and ants they will burrow into the earth through cracks and crevices, said Firas. The next time these young cicadas emerge from the ground they will be full-grown and ready to reproduce. In the meantime, the cicadas will spend their time eating, growing, and digging little tunnels.
When approached by customers of his company, Toronto Tree Removal, on the 2013 Cicadas topic, Mr. Firas says they are usually curious of what cicadas eat and do cicadas bite.
“Cicadas are typically gentle towards people under normal circumstances and don’t sting or bite, but have made the mistake that a human’s arm or neck is a plant or tree limb. They are attempting to mate and feed.”.
Comforting.
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To reach Jamie Firas at Toronto Tree Care
(647) 694-5844
Tree Service & Tree Removal Toronto
http://treeremovaltoronto.net/