The cicadas are insects with a body composed of a thorax, a head, a snout, and six sets of legs. They have two sets of wings, spiracles for breathing, and an abdomen containing the reproductive organs. They have two sets of antennae and three pairs of simple eyes. The head is asymmetric, with two compound eyes and a clypeus that anchors to tall grasses.
Cicadas live underground for the majority of their life cycle. The male’s tymbals vibrate, making a distinctive summer song. The female lays her eggs in tree branches, and the nymphs are born six to 10 weeks later. Their wings are transparent and they resemble roofs, allowing them to easily be noticed by a passerby. The cicadas also produce a piercing, loud buzzing sound as a mating call.
Adult cicadas have black and orange wing veins and an orange body. Their eyes are red. Their body is uniformly black. The nymphs are similar to adult cicadas, but have stronger front legs that can dig. The nymphs undergo four molts, and are a little smaller than the adult periodical cicada. During these four stages, they lay their eggs in a few different places in the ground and on bushes.
When they molt into adults, they spend two to four weeks flying, courting, and feeding. In spring, the nymphs emerge from underground and move to nearby vertical structures to reproduce. The pupae cicada will be one-half to two inches long, with yellow or green markings on its body. The pups have a seven-year lifespan, and the nymphs can only reach five feet underground.
The nymphs do not have wings, but they do have thick claws for burrowing and eyes on the corners of their heads. The nymphs do not have a stomach. The adult cicada is the biggest insect in the world, and it has 17-year cycles. The females live for only a few days, while the nymphs live for up to 17 years.
The adult cicada can stay underground for two to seventeen years. During the winter, the nymphs stay on the surface of the earth, but a cicada can spend as long as two to four months in the same location. However, the nymphs are active in the ground, not in hibernation. During the summer, they feed on the roots of their host plant.
Cicadas are not usually seen indoors, but they do sometimes come out. They are only found in the United States, although there are 190 species in the region. While they may appear in your yard, it is best to stay out of these areas during the day, as they tend to attract males. If you have a cicada problem, don’t be afraid. You will not hurt it.
