Periodic Cicadas

This May saw the emergence of a swarm of periodic cicadas. We have annual dog days cicadas which start to appear the end of July. The periodic cicadas only appear in 17 year cycles. This is the second time we saw them emerge.

They emerge from their homes in the soil at night and start to climb. After latching on a surface the cicada’s shell splits along the back and the adult climbs out. Not all cicadas successfully achieve transformation, like this one on a small maple next to a porch.

In the morning we’ll find adults often near the empty shells. Normally the cicada is black but now and again we find white ones.

A cicada near a shell. The shells are found clinging to tree trunks and under leaves.

And adult periodic cicada. Their lifespan is long, but they live only a short time as an adult.

October 14, 2016