Mary Reefer

Penn State Master Gardener Mary Reefer of Franklin Township has some advice for property owners as they face the mid-May onslaught of 17-year cicadas.

Reefer said because the bugs are a tasty treat for pets, they should not be sprayed with insecticides — or any chemicals — that could be ingested by pets or the many species of local wildlife that consume them.

She said the bugs have evolved to hide for 17 years, then appear by the millions, so they cannot all be eaten by hungry woodland creatures and pets.

Mainly, Reefer hopes locals will just allow the three- to four-week process of the invasion to continue, and leave the insects alone.

“Homeowners should not panic when they see masses of insects clinging to their trees and buzzing around their yards,” Reefer said.

There is no known way to prevent the insects from being on a property, Reefer said.