5 tips for cleaning up the aftermath of Brood X
Who doesn't want to tackle cicada carcasses?
Credit: Reviewed / Tara Jacoby
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Buzz about theBrood X cicada seasonhas been building for months—and now, residents of several eastern states of the U.S. are beginning to witness theemergence of trillions of 17-year-cicadas. For many homeowners, this hasn't gone unnoticed, as male cicadas initiate their mating calls—a notoriously loud buzzing noise—to attract a mate.
As part of the circle of life—which, for cicadas, is approximately 4 to 6 weeks—Brood X will die out. And, while their buzzing sound may cease, their physical aftermath inevitably includes trillions of cicada carcasses left behind.
Trust us when we say you will want toclean up your yardfast to avoid the apocalyptic look and some less-than-pleasant aromas. We’ve put together some tips for how to clean up your house and yard.
1. Work fast to clean up
If you want to avoid decomposing cicadas, it's best to clean up as fast as you can.
Unlike annual cicadas, the lifespan of periodical cicadas is only 4 to 6 weeks. However, notallof the cicadas emerge from the ground at the same time—some may arrive later on, depending on when the soil in your region reaches about 65 degrees.
Yard clean-up may be a frequent and continuous chore. Josh Matta, senior biologist for lawn and yard care brand Spectracide, says you should work fast in cleaning up the deceased cicadas to avoid any potential scent. Strangely, some people have compared the smell of rotting cicada carcasses tohamburger meat, so try to start clean-up before any unwanted scents begin to appear.
2. Break out your yard tools
You may notice some cicada shells—along with deceased cicadas—in your yard. This is the exoskeleton they shed shortly after they emerge from the ground.
Depending on how affected your area is and how many dead cicadas land in your yard, there are several backyard tools you probably already have that can make clean-up easier.
For something on the smaller side, Matta says you can use adustpan and handheld broomto quickly collect them.
With larger amounts of cicadas, start by using abroom,rake, or even asnow shovelto collect them into piles. Matta recommends digging a deep hole and burying the carcasses if you can—this should suppress any smells.
If you are a renter or can’t dig into your yard, collect the cicadas into a separate trash bag and keep it outside until it’s trash day.
3. Clean out your gutters
If you can't get up to your gutters, you can also use a telescopic gutter cleaning wand that hooks up to your hose to flush out cicadas and other debris with powerful water pressure.
Yes, fallen cicadas can make their way into your roof’s gutters, too. While this can be an annoyance, a clogged-up gutter can also cause more problems than just rainwater blockage—it can lead to serious water damage to your home’s walls and foundation.
Thankfully,gutter clean-upshouldn’t be too much of a chore. Grab abucketand carefully bring it up with you on anextension ladder. Get to the top and start scooping out carcasses with agutter scoop, along with any other debris, into the bucket. If there are only a few, you can even use your hands to pick them up, too (dead bugs don’t bite).
Be sure to check on your gutters regularly while Brood X is out and about, and clean accordingly.
4. Skim cicadas out of the pool or hot tub
Try to remove dead cicadas from the pool quickly, as they could end up clogging the pool drain.
While cicadas aren’t necessarily looking to take a swim, a few stray cicadas may make their way into your pool or hot tub. To prevent this from happening in the first place, throw on yourpool coverorhot tub coverif you have one.
To collect cicadas en masse, you can use apool skimmer. Once you’ve cleared them out, you may want togive your pool a thorough cleanto get it looking polished again. Use anylon pool brushto scrub the walls and ladders in your pool of any stuck-on debris.
5. Let them decompose
Next year's plantings can benefit from this year's decomposing cicadas.
Hear us out: While clearing out dead cicadas from your yard may be the best option for you, allowing them to decompose isn’t such a bad idea either.
As cicadas decompose, theybecome a source of nitrogen, a nutrient that is key for trees, plants, and your lawn.
Don’t worry—you can always just usefertilizeron your garden, too.
You can also add the cicadas to yourcompost, as it makes forhigh-quality food for beneficial bacteria and fungusin your soil.
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