Brood V

There are seven broods of cicadas in West Virginia, on different 17-year schedules. These broods occupy different areas of the state, although with some overlap. The largest is Brood V, which is due to emerge in 2016 in many northern and central counties. Periodical cicadas do not bite or sting, but the female can cause damage to trees as she punctures twigs to make pockets to deposit her eggs. Typically, dead leaves occur on the injured twigs, causing a prominent ‘‘flagging’’ for the remainder of the season. Young fruit and shade trees are especially susceptible to damage.
The extra is shells of the cicadas in one of our trees. We made a quick trip to the farm for the cicadas experience!