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A Freshly Emerged Cicada Nymph
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A Freshly Emerged Cicada Nymph

Keith Dotson
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Emergence of Brood X in Tennessee?

In the much ballyhooed year of Brood X, this is the first cicada I have seen this summer. My region appeared to be on the territory of the big Brood X 17-year cycle, but thus far this year, I’ve not heard or seen a single cicada until now.

Cicada nymphs require soil temperatures of 64-degrees F before they will burrow out of their underground homes and begin the final stages of their lives as cicadas. This nymph appears to be so freshly emerged from underground that it’s still carrying soil in the nooks and crannies of its exoskeleton.

Is this little nymph the first of an oncoming army of Brood X nymphs, or is it just a routine appearance by one of our annual cicadas? Who knows, but one thing is certain — very soon, the trees will be abuzz with the deafening sound of cicada mating calls.

Cell phone snap shot of a recently emerged cicada nymph, walking across the sidewalk in search of a tree to climb. After climbing the tree, the cicada will shed its exoskeleton, ascend into the branches, and begin its distinctive mating song.
Cell phone snap shot of a recently emerged cicada nymph, walking across the sidewalk in search of a tree to climb. After climbing the tree, the cicada will shed its exoskeleton, ascend into the branches, and begin its distinctive mating song.

Watch this video to hear the cicadas’ mating song

This video features a butterfly, but the audio is filled with the sounds of incessant cicada mating calls.

Thanks for reading

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~ Keith

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