Do n’t countenance all the incoming cicada carcasses and shells go to waste : Use them in your compost .
Toru Kimura / Getty Images
Thecicadas are formally herefor the summertime — but there ’s no need to fear . In fact , it ’s a effort for celebration when it arrive to your garden .
Credit:Toru Kimura / Getty Images
Every few years , cicala bulge out up in undulation across the U.S. This class , the 13 - year Brood XIX and the 17 - twelvemonth Brood XIII are ~coming out of their shells~ and making an appearance across the land . This means you ’ll inevitably find cicada carcasses and shell scatter on the ground , especially throughout the Midwest ( specifically Illinois ) . If your yard is affect , you might be wondering what to do about the cleanup spot . Of of course , you could collect them and throw them forth , but you may also use them to translate your garden — and get someextra full stop for sustainability .
The leisurely direction to glean the benefits of cicada carcasses in your garden is by plainly tossing them into yourcompost pile . Dead cicadas are full of nitrogen , which fire the microorganisms that break off down constitutive matter , speeding up your compost cognitive operation . Nitrogen also help with various mobile phone functions in the plant and facilitates its development . Plus , the exoskeleton of a cicada is chitin - rich , which is good for microorganism in the earth and naturallyenriches your grunge .
“ By contain molted cicala shell or numb cicadas into your potted plant soil or garden beds , you help meliorate its grain and birthrate , ” Samantha Tibbetts , the E - Commerce Manager at Lawnifi , a garden and lawn forethought caller , said in a press handout . “ And hey , you ’re clean up a bunch of dead bugs while you ’re at it . profits - win ! ”
Because these casing add an copiousness of N , be thrifty that your compost is balanced out with the right amount of carbon . Add inorganic matterthat ’s carbon - heavy : Look for predominately brown materials , like dry plants , fallen leaves , shred tree diagram arm , cardboard , Ellen Price Wood shavings , along with newspaper , hay , and straw .
If you are n’t keen on sum cicada shell and dead cicala into your compost , you may also send away them directly into your garden to use as fertiliser . If you require to take it to the next level , you could mash the cicada shells and bodies into smaller pieces and propagate those around , which helps to speed up the decomposition reaction process . you’re able to also apply a rake to till the crushed cicala into your soil .
If those steps voice too daunting or if looking at a cicada carcass make you prissy ( understandably ) , you may simply will the hemipteron where they fall . Eventually , they ’ll molder naturally and give the ground some much - needed nutrient . But cicadas can breathe an unpleasant aroma , so you might want to bury those cicada bodies and shells as soon as possible .
While this composting option might seem kind of gross , call back that bugs are all over your garden anyway — you might as well put them to work in the name of better ground and sustainability .
