I snapped this photo of a cicada exoskeleton on a Rose of Sharon leaf, just after a rain.
This year, 13-year and 17-year cicada broods are emerging in the Midwest and Southeast for the first time since 1803. This includes Brood XIII, which hatched and burrowed into the ground in 2007. Also emerging is Brood XIX, hatched in 2011 and which has been underground for 13 years. These cicadas are "periodical" broods, which means they remain underground until they emerge and shed their exoskeletons. They live for just a few weeks to feed and breed. They also provide food for birds, fish, and mammals.
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