To many people in the Chihuahuan Desert, the loud buzz of the cicada signals the real beginning of summer. The young—the nymphs—live deep underground, feeding on the root juices of trees and shrubs. Depending on the species, anywhere from 1 to 17 years are passed underground, but eventually the nymph burrows to the surface. Climbing the nearest trunk, it clings tightly to the bark. Splitting its outer casing along the back, the winged adult emerges, leaving the translucent ghost of its past behind—still clutching the bark as if reluctant to admit its time has passed.
Energized by the heat of the day, males advertise their machismo to
willing females by their penetrating call. Paired membranes called tymbals, located on
the abdomen, vibrate rapidly to produce the sound, different for each species. Juices
sucked from plants supply the energy to call, to mate, to produce fertile eggs, which
the female deposits into protective slits cut into twigs and stems. On hatching, the
nymphs drop to the ground and burrow deep to start the cycle over. 
Contributor: Arthur H. Harris, Laboratory for Environmental Biology, Centennial Museum, University of Texas at El Paso.
Desert Diary is a joint production of the Centennial Museum and KTEP National Public Radio at the University of Texas at El Paso.
An adult cicada (after Lutz, 1921).
Hilton Pond Center, good pictues.