cicada

As in other cicada species, the nymph, or larva, of the Australian double drummer Thopha saccata is a strong digger, burrowing down from the surface to feed on the roots of shrubs and trees. After several moults, the adult emerges and climbs the plant to feed on the smaller branches. Eggs are laid on the twigs, and after hatching, the nymphs drop to the ground to begin the cycle again.

Any of several insects of the family Cicadidae. Most species are tropical, but a few occur in Europe and North America. The adults live on trees, whose juices they suck. The males produce a loud, almost continuous, chirping by vibrating membranes in resonating cavities in the abdomen.

Cicadas with a periodic life cycle, such as the 13-year cicada and the 17-year cicada, are found only in the USA. These species spend most of their lives as larvae underground, synchronizing their emergence every 13 or 17 years depending on species.