This process is called sublimation. The opposite (deposition) is where a gas turns directly into a solid. Sublimation occurs if the pressure and temperature are right for the specific substance, so that the solid phase in a phase diagram borders the gas phase.
Most cicadas go through a life cycle that lasts from two to five years. Some species have much longer life cycles, such as the North American genus, Magicicada, which has a number of distinct broods that go through either a 17-year or, in some parts of the world, a 13-year life cycle.
6) Cicadas provide a revealing example of the workings of evolution and natural selection. If a stray cicada appears outside the cycle of the brood (while most stay underground for 17 years, some do for 13 years), its chances for survival are basically nil.f a stray cicada appears outside the cycle of the brood (while most stay underground for 17 years, some do for 13 years), its chances for survival are basically nil.