Periodical cicadas lay their eggs in tree branches, and when those eggs hatch, the resulting baby cicadas, or nymphs, drop to the ground and burrow into the soil. Depending on their species ...

Baby cicadas, or nymphs, have “the highest levels of tocopherols and polyphenols — antioxidants shown to help prevent diseases such as cancer and heart disease and improve immune function ...

The study also pinpointed when during their life cycle the cicadas may get infected. Baby cicadas — called nymphs — spend the first 17 years of their lives underground, feeding on plant roots.