Mr. Fix It: How to keep cicadas out of your home
CHICAGO — It’s cicada season — and the last thing you want is to have one of those little critters in your house. Mr. Fix It shares tips and necessities to keep them out.
Cicadas ahead of schedule, expected soon in Chicago area
Screen repair tape
If you have a broken screen door that you can’t get into the shop to fix, you can use a screen repair tape, called Magic Mesh.
Just cut it with a pair of scissors and tape it over the screen for a quick fix.
Square netting
Mr. Fix It also shares little squares that can be taped right over holes in screen doors to keep the cicadas out.
Cicadas only come out ever 17 years, to plant their eggs and go — Mr. Fix It says young trees and plants are more susceptible for damage. Female cicadas can make slits in the branches and plant her eggs inside.
Mr. Fix It shares a half an inch square netting that can keep them out and believe it, cicadas are big! Some may recommend mosquito nets, but they are not big enough to protect a tree.
The nets can also be used over vegetable gardens.
Insect killer
Mr. Fix It says this is his least favorite method, but if necessary, he shares an insecticide that connects to the garden hose. It can also be used on vegetables.
Blow them away!
The final and easiest method to keep them away to simply blow them away with a leaf blower.
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