The provided diagram illustrates the multi-stage biological development of the cicada, a process characterized by its remarkable duration and distinct environmental transitions.
Overall, the cicada’s life cycle consists of three primary stages: the egg, the nymph, and the adult. This cycle is unique due to the extensive period spent underground before the insect reaches its final form.
The process begins when adult cicadas lay their eggs within the safety of tree branches. These eggs undergo an incubation period lasting between 2 and 7 months. Once they hatch, the young nymphs fall to the ground and instinctively burrow into the soil. They create a network of holes or tunnels near tree roots, where they remain for a significant portion of their lives – ranging from 2 to 17 years – feeding on root sap.
After this lengthy maturation, the nymphs emerge from the earth and climb onto trees to moult, shedding their old exoskeletons. This transformation results in the winged adult cicada. These adults then mate and return to the branches to lay a new generation of eggs, ensuring the cycle repeats indefinitely. Underpinning this entire journey is a sophisticated transition from an arboreal beginning to a subterranean existence, and finally back to the trees.