Just a shell of their former selfs

Once the cicadas have emerged and molt their nymph exoskeletons, take a look at the result!

The shed exoskeletons are called Exuviae. One source likened it to a suit of armor. Imagine a young lord getting his first suit of armor. It’s great fun strutting around in it, but after awhile, he outgrows it and it needs to be discarded and replaced.

The cicada’s exoskeleton provides protection, but it can’t grow along with the cicada, so it must molt the old one before a new one can harden.

The emerging cicada is a creamy white, and slowing turns dark as the new skin hardens and fluid is pumped into the wings.

If you see a darkened cicada emerging, it is most likely an incomplete molt. Sometimes something goes wrong in the molting process, and the cicada is not able to completely molt. The body still hardens in that state, and it gets stuck in the exuvia.

You may see white strands attached to the exuvia. According to Perdue University: “These are their lungs (tracheal tubes)! Insect's respiratory system is made out of tubes and little holes (spiracles) in the outside of their body. When they shed their skin, they shed the whole thing, respiratory system and all!”

Hopefully you learned something interesting about cicada molts — they can be quite hauntingly beautiful