Cicada Emergence: Home

Every 13 or 17 years, a remarkable event takes place in nature: the emergence of periodical cicadas. These fascinating insects spend the majority of their lives underground, hidden from view, feeding quietly on root sap. Then, as if responding to an ancient signal, they emerge in unison, driven by the warming soil reaching about 64°F.

Imagine a quiet forest floor, suddenly teeming with life as nymphs by the thousands crawl out of the earth. They shed their exoskeletons, transforming into winged adults in a matter of hours. This mass emergence, designed by nature, ensures their survival; their sheer numbers overwhelm predators, allowing enough cicadas to escape and reproduce.

For the next 4-6 weeks, the air is filled with the distinct sound of cicada songs as males call to attract females. After mating, females lay their eggs in tree branches. Soon, the adults die off, and the cycle begins anew. The eggs hatch, and tiny nymphs fall to the ground, burrowing into the soil to start their long, subterranean journey once again.

"Cicada Emergence 2024" is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by Elizabeth Kennedy and Gateway Technical College Libraries.