17 Year Cicada

Description:

Magicicada spp. spend most of their 13- and 17- year lives underground feeding on xylem fluids from the roots of deciduous forest trees in the eastern United States. After 13 or 17 years, mature cicada nymphs emerge at any given locality, synchronously and in tremendous numbers. After such a prolonged developmental phase, the adults are active for about 4 to 6 weeks. The males aggregate into chorus centers and attract females for mating. Within two months of the original emergence, the life cycle is complete, the eggs have been laid and the adult cicadas are gone for another 13 or 17 years

Habitat:

Woodland areas of eastern US.

Notes:

Found on walkway leading to wetlands area of Sugar Hollow Park.