Natural History

Apache Cicadas are insects with chunky bodies that grow to approximately two inches long, with large, transparent, veined wings that fold over their backs and wide-set bulging eyes. Cicadas spend the bulk of their lives living in underground burrows, emerging in overlapping three to five year cycles in May to late June as nymphs. The nymphs climb up walls or trees and emerge as adults, leaving the cask skins of the nymphs clinging to the base of the walls or tree trunks.
 

Male cicadas have loud noisemakers called "timbals" on the sides of their abdomens. They fill the air with a cacophony of vibrating ribbed plates through August in order to attract females. The mating sound can be heard as far as 440 yards. Though large and somewhat ugly, cicadas do not bite and are not considered pests.