Cicadas, The Next Class

Periodical cicadas were a big hit this spring across most of North Carolina. It is now time for the annual cicada to make its appearance. Already spotted, are the larger green annual cicadas that appear every year in low numbers.

By now, most of you are familiar with cicadas. Every summer the chunky brown nymphs crawl from under the ground and perform a transformation as dramatic as the change of a chrysalis to a butterfly. Though the individual life cycle may last several years for the annuals, the entire population does not emerge in synchrony as do their famous earlier periodical cousins. You should now be able to enjoy their daytime buzzing and still hear yourself think.