Butler also documented a white cicada nymph molting as it reaches adulthood. Chip Adams captured similar images in South Carolina. The young cicadas are white with red eyes, prompting many to ask ...

After six to 10 weeks, young cicada nymphs hatch from their eggs and dig ... developmental period in these underground burrows before molting their shells and surfacing as adults to mate and ...

Once above ground, they shed their nymph exoskeletons, leaving behind empty shells attached to trees or other surfaces. This process is called molting, and it allows the adult cicadas to grow and ...