In the late summer, we start hearing the buzzing sounds of the cicadas in the trees. And on the trunks, we often see the "shells" of the nymph that crawled out of the ground. Interestingly, this normally happens at night when birds are sleeping. If they crawled out during the day, they'd probably would make a quick meal!
So, to my surprise one day, I happened to see a nymph on the grass and thought it was dead initially. I had only ever seen the empty shells, and never the creature before it turns into a full-blown cicada. I picked it up and put in on our deck - and watched (and photographed) the metamorphosis with total fascination!
Here are some interesting cicada facts:
1. There are about 3,000 cicada species around the world.
2. They have a life cycle anywhere from 4 to 17 years.
3. They spend most of their time underground as larvae and then nymphs.
4. Mother cicadas lay a group of about 20 eggs in a little slit she makes in a branch.
5. The eggs hatch in 6 to 10 weeks.
6. The babies fall off the trees and then spend most of their lives underground.
7. They feed on liquid from tree roots.
8. Adult cicadas don't bite, sting, or cause harm to crops like locusts do.
9. Adults only live from 2 to 6 weeks.
10. The males are the ones that "sing" by vibrating a drum-like organ on their abdomens called a tymbal.
11. Each species of cicada produces its own, unique "song".
I have no idea what purpose these little creatures serve in God's wonderful animal kingdom - except perhaps to make people like me happy just watching them!
