Cicadas are a group of about 2,500 species of insects in the order Hemiptera. They are found on every continent except Antarctica. Cicadas live in temperate to tropical climates and spend most of their lives as nymphs underground, emerging as adults only for a short time each year to mate.
The name “cicada” comes from the Latin cicada, meaning “tree cricket”. The majority of cicada species are brown or black with striped abdomens. Some species have brightly colored bodies and patterns on their wings. Adult cicadas can range in size from 5 to 50 mm (0.2 to 2 inches).
Most cicada species have a life cycle that lasts two to five years, although some species can live up to 17 years underground before emerging as adults. The length of time spent in the nymph stage varies between species, but is typically around six months to four years. When they emerge from the ground, cicadas shed their skin one final time and develop into winged adults.
Adult cicadas do not eat; they spend their brief time above ground solely for reproduction. Females lay eggs in tree branches using a long ovipositor; once the eggs hatch, the nymphs drop to the ground and burrow into the soil where they will feed on plant roots until they mature into adults and begin the cycle anew.