You know it's summer when you start finding cicada shells on the sides of your trees! This amazing timelapse of a cicada nymph shedding is by @bradleuephotography via @canonaustralia Cicadas spend most of their lives as nymphs underground (some Australian species for as much as 6 -7 years!). Once they're fully grown they've got a lot of work to do and not much time to do it: dig their way to the surface, shed one last time and mate, all within a few weeks. 🎶 Cicadas are the loudest insects in t

Wait for it ... billions of Brood X cicada nymphs are emerging from the ground in 15 states — a natural phenomenon that only occurs every 17 years. After feeding off tree roots for nearly two decades, the nymphs crawl out of the soil and climb trees and other vertical structures in search of a suitable place to shed their shells. Molting takes several hours. After it has emerged from its carapace, the cicada must wait several more hours for its body and wings to harden. *** In this time-lapse fo