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common
Periodical Cicada
Magicicada septendecim
- Habitat
- Eastern North American forests
- Body length
- 32 mm
- Order
- Hemiptera · Cicadidae
Weird but real
Spends 17 years underground as a nymph, then emerges in synchronized billions for a six-week mating frenzy.
Why it's cool
Uses a prime-number life cycle to avoid syncing with predator population booms. Evolutionary time-traveler.
