Cicadas leave their mark: tree “flagging” visible from egg-laying for next brood

by Kate Evans

Residents may have noticed hanging-down clusters of brown leaves on certain trees on their property or have an abundance of brown leaf clusters on twigs and small branches falling to the ground from the ends of tree branches.

The tree damage is the aftermath of the invasion of the Brood X 17-year periodical cicadas, which is now over, and the beginnings of their next generation of hatchlings.

The female cicadas make small…