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Cicada Life CycleCicada Life Cycle|
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Subjects > Animals > Insects > Cicada
See also [Cicada Picture Gallery]. Also more information on Cicadids ...
Cicadas come from eggs planted long ago in tree branches. Tiny, six-legged nymphs hatched out of them, fell to the ground, and scurried down into the soil. Once underground, they settled down on the tree roots and began to feed. Then they stayed down there, nice and snug, sucking sap for 13, or 17 years. That's right, more than a decade!
Periodical cicadas are North America's longest-lived insects.
When the cicadas come to the surface, they do so by burrowing dime sized tunnels.
Cicadas are common in places with big, old trees.
During their soil stage, the cicadas settle themselves anywhere from 2 inches to 2 feet below the surface. Seventeen years later, when the bell inside their tiny insect brains goes off, telling them it is time to reproduce, they move up to just about an inch below ground. Then they wait. During this time, their bodies begin to change, so they'll be ready for life in the above-ground world.
The first sign of cicadas is muddy little mounds resembling tiny volcanoes, or chimneys. The cicadas make these as they climb out of the ground.
The cicadas emerge--all at once--after dark, as if answering some secret signal. They crawl a foot or more up tree trunks and weeds. There, they hold tight and shed their underground skins, much as snakes slither out of theirs. They wait for a day or two for their soft, white skin to harden and their wings to dry. Then they fly off.
About 5 days after flying up into the trees, the males "sing " to attract females. This song is actually a shrill sound they make by using body parts called "timbals," located near their stomachs . When thousands and thousands of cicadas do this at the same time, it makes quite a racket! Click to hear the Cicada Sound ...
About 10 days after flight into trees, the cicadas mate. Afterwards, the females use a saw-like device, called an ovipositor, at the end of their abdomens to puncture the bark of a twig and make tiny pockets in the young wood. Then they deposit 10 to 20 eggs in each pocket. In all, one female lays 400 to 600 eggs.
The cicadas stick around for about four weeks, with the most from mid-May to mid-June. But do they hurt anything? If there is any harm, it is to small or newly planted hardwood or fruit trees and grapevines. That's because cicadas make small incisions near the tips of tree branches in which to lay their eggs. The branch beyond the incisions often dies. So, although big trees won't be hurt by this, little ones may suffer.
It takes about six to 10 weeks for new nymphs to hatch from the eggs. Then the whole 17-year-long cycle starts anew. So, yes, the cicadas are here! But instead of being grossed out by them, try to appreciate them as one of nature's very special shows. And think about how old you'll be when the next big batch of periodical cicadas--hatching out of this year's eggs--come out!
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See more Cool stuff about insects
Bill Nye the Science Guy: Reptiles & Insects
Insect Biochemistry & Molecular Biology [MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION]
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