Will Cicadas Eat My Tomato Plants?

With the arrival of the Brood X cicadas, many gardeners are concerned about whether or not these buzzing insects will feast on their tomato plants. While cicadas are known for their voracious appetites, there is no need to worry about your beloved tomato garden becoming a cicada snack.

Why Cicadas Aren't a Threat to Your Tomato Plants

Cicadas primarily feed on tree sap, making them more interested in the leaves and branches of trees than in the fruits and vegetables growing in your garden. Tomato plants do not produce the type of sap that cicadas prefer, so they are unlikely to cause any significant damage to your plants.

In addition, tomato plants are typically stronger and more resilient than the trees that cicadas tend to target. If a few cicadas do happen to land on your tomato plants, they are unlikely to cause any lasting harm.

How to Protect Your Tomato Plants from Other Garden Pests

While it's important to know that cicadas are not a threat to your tomato plants, there are plenty of other garden pests that can cause serious damage. Here are some tips for protecting your tomato plants from these common pests:

Aphids: These tiny insects love to feed on the sap of tomato plants, causing leaves to turn yellow and wilted. To get rid of them, you can spray your plants with a mixture of dish soap and water or introduce ladybugs, which are natural predators of aphids.

Tomato hornworms: These large green caterpillars can quickly devour the leaves and fruits of your tomato plants. To prevent them from taking over your garden, inspect your plants regularly and pick off any hornworms you find by hand.

Fruit flies: These tiny flies are attracted to ripe tomatoes and can quickly infest your entire garden. You can prevent them from laying eggs on your tomatoes by covering them with fine mesh netting or by harvesting them as soon as they are ripe.

The Bottom Line

Cicadas may be getting a lot of attention this year, but when it comes to your tomato plants, they are not a major concern. As long as you take steps to protect your plants from other common pests, your tomato garden should thrive throughout the summer season.