Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Over 40 Years of Growing Gardens and Gardeners
By now you have seen or heard (reports about) the periodical cicadas of Brood II. You also may remember back to 2004 and the Brood X cicadas (the largest and most widespread of all broods). Periodical cicadas occur in cycles of 13 or 17 years. There are about five broods of 17-year cicadas that appear in different years in Northern Virginia.
Since many native foods are scarce this time of year, bird feeders can be quite busy. Birds, such as cardinals, finches, chickadees, titmice and sparrows, prefer black-oil sunflower seeds (hulled seeds cause less mess) in hanging feeders. However, if you happen to grow plants like eastern redcedar and winterberry (both are natives with high wildlife value) that still hold their winter fruit, then you may find a flock of colorful Bombycilla cedrorum (cedar waxwings) stopping by for a snack.
If you think that this red-orange and black insect is a large milkweed bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus), then you would be correct.
