Cicada

Description:

Cicadas are insects, best known for the sounds made by most, but not all, male cicadas. They make this sound by flexing their tymbals, which are drum-like. The most well-known cicadas in the North America are the Magicicada periodical cicadas, which have amazingly long 17 or 13 year lifecycles. Brood IV (17 year life cycle) will emerge in IA, KS, MO, NE, OK, and TX. Brood XXIII cicadas (13 year life cycle) will emerge in AR, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, and TN, in 2015. http://www.cicadamania.com

Habitat:

Cicadas begin life as a rice-shaped egg, which the female deposits in a groove she makes in a tree limb, using her ovipositor. The groove provides shelter and exposes the tree fluids, which the young cicadas feed on. These grooves can kill small branches. When the branches die and leaves turn brown, it is called flagging. Once the egg hatches the cicada begins to feed on the tree fluids. At this point it looks like a termite or small white ant. Once the young cicada is ready, it crawls from the groove and falls to the ground where it will dig until it finds roots to feed on. Once roots are found the cicada will stay underground from 2 to 17 years depending on the species. After the long 2 to 17 years, cicadas emerge from the ground as nymphs. Nymphs climb the nearest available tree, and begin to shed their nymph exoskeleton. Free of their old skin, their wings will inflate with fluid and their new skin can harden. Once their new wings and body are ready, they can begin their brief adult life. Adult cicadas, also called imagoes, spend their time in trees looking for a mate. Males sing, females respond, mating begins, and the cycle of life begins again. http://www.cicadamania.com