So as you’ve probably heard, the cicada invasion for this 17-year brood has started.

I took a few pictures to document their life cycle.

After spending 17 years underground, the cicada nymphs crawl from the ground and head toward the nearest tree.

In this pic you can see some of the many holes spotting the ground at our farm:

Cicada holes

Here is a pic of a cicada nymph climbing an oak tree:

Cicada larvae

At some point, the cicada nymph will stop climbing, and then the cicada will start to emerge from his or her husk:

Cicada pre emerging

Here is the newly emerged cicada on top of his/her husk:

Cicada emerging

The cicadas are white when they first emerge:

Cicada white

After a bit of time, they will darken in color:

Cicada hand

You can get an idea of just how many cicadas there are by looking at these few oak leaves:

Cicada in tree

Now it’s time to leave the husk behind and look for a mate:

Cicada husk

Once a mate is found, the 17-year cycle can start all over again:

Cicada pair

After the eggs laid in the tree hatch, the larvae will fall to the ground and dig until they reach the tree’s roots, so they can receive nourishment.

And then it’s just a matter of waiting.

See you in 17 years!