After 2, 13 or 17 years below the ground, in May or early June the mature nymphs bore to the surface, and sometimes even construct mud "chimneys" up to 3 inches tall. They climb onto nearby vegetation or any vertical surface. They then molt into winged adults. Their shredded outer skins or "exoskeletons" are frequently found attached to tree trunks and twigs. Their emergence is often tightly synchronized, with most nymphs appearing within a few nights. | The male's courtship songs attract females for mating. After mating, females use their saw-like ovipositors to split open the bark of hardwood trigs and insert eggs in two rows. They lay their eggs in twigs 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter. One to several dozen eggs can be laid in one branch, with up to 500 eggs being laid by each female in about 50 sites. Cicada eggs remain in the twigs for 6 to 10 weeks before hatching. After the eggs hatch, the tiny ant-like first stage nymphs drop to the soil to borrow in 6 to 18 inches underground to feed for the next 2 or more years. (Periodical cicadas develop for a thirteen to seventeen years cycle). The nymphs feed on the roots of many kinds of trees. | |
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