The cicada lives most of its life underground, sucking tree roots. Mother cicada splits a twig and lays her eggs inside it. When eggs hatch, nymphs fall and dig in about the roots. Most cicada nymphs stay underground three to five years. Then there are seven species that synchronize their cycles and emerge every thirteen or seventeen years. Underground, nymphs molt five times, and after the fifth time they emerge, climb up the bark of the tree, and molt as adults with wings. Now, briefly, males call and sing, females find males, and they mate.