Editorial photo #10345346 Human Interest

The Mystified Insect Cicada

The cicadas are sound-producing insects in a superfamily, the Cicadoidea, of insects in the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They are physically distinguished by their stout bodies, broad heads, clear-membrane wings, and large compound eyes, found chiefly in warm countries. These large homopterous insect Cicadas are famous for their penchant for disappearing entirely for many years, only to reappear in force at regular intervals. Several cultures regarded these insects as powerful symbols of rebirth due to their unusual life cycles. The cicada has the longest life cycle of any insect, ranging from 2 to 17 years, they feed on tree roots. Brood X (Brood 10), one of the periodical cicadas from the United States has the greatest range and concentration of any of the 17-year cicadas. When they are ready to emerge as adults, they dig out of the ground, crawl up onto a tree or the side of a building, and shed their exoskeleton for the last time. A freshly emerged Lemuriana apicalis (Germar,1830) Cicada nymph beside its golden color shell or exoskeleton waiting for the wings to unfurl at Tehatta, West Bengal; India on 07/08/2023. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto)