Cicadas have varying lifespans depending on the species, but their life cycle generally consists of a long underground nymph stage followed by a short adult stage above ground.
- Periodical cicadas (genus Magicicada) are famous for their long life cycles of 13 or 17 years. They spend most of this time underground as nymphs feeding on tree roots. After this long dormancy, they emerge synchronously in huge numbers to molt into adults
- Once emerged, adult periodical cicadas live only about 3 to 5 weeks. During this brief adult phase, they mate, lay eggs, and then die
- Annual cicadas , which appear every year, have shorter life cycles ranging from 2 to 8 years, but their emergences are staggered so some appear annually
- In summary, cicadas live from 2 up to 17 years depending on species, with most of that time spent underground as nymphs. Their adult life above ground is very short, typically just a few weeks
Thus, the total lifespan of a cicada can be anywhere from a couple of years to 17 years, but the adult stage is only a few weeks long.
