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High percentage of cicadas with fungus #752716

Asked May 28, 2021, 12:48 PM EDT

Hi! I’ve noticed a very large percentage of cicadas with the fungus in my yard in Silver Spring. Is this expected in a specific areas? I would guesstimate over 25%.

Montgomery County Maryland

Expert Response

The Massospora fungus has certainly kicked in on the cicadas, as it always does. In low-density populations, 25% seems to be the upper end of the spectrum, but apparently, at higher densities and with more land disturbance, the rate can be higher.

Dr. Michael Raupp in the UMD Entomology Department wrote about this fungal pathogen of cicadas on his blog yesterday:

 http://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2021/5/31/an-std-in-cicada-land-has-cicadas-behaving-strangely-magicicada-spp-and-massospora-cicadina

Christa

Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 01, 2021, 8:22 AM EDT

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