They refer to the different cycles of periodic cicadas as "broods" and lately I've been hearing on the news that this year the mid-Atlantic region will get Brood II, which is supposed to be one of the larger broods for the mid atlantic region. We were last affected here by Brood X in 2004.
We had those in the midwest last year, the first time since I moved here (didn't have them up in Maine). Kinda freaky at first since there's so damn many of them, but they're mainly just a nuisance. Loud and annoying since they will fly into just about anything. And once they all die cleaning up the carcasses is not fun.
yup, that's why I always carry my tennis racket around with me wherever I go. I've had one of these fly straight into my eye. As punishment, I grilled him for lunch.