After their long “sojourn of stillness” in the ground, the cicadas are returning to the Blue Ridge Mountains (actually, they’re simply emerging, since they’re always here … WE are the visitors).
This one appeared outside our door this morning. Welcome bug-eyed singer!
Friendly Freethinker 
Its wings didn’t fully expand, poor thing. I’ve noticed a lot of the ones in my area didn’t manage to get out of their shells before hardening up, so they’re stuck, or didn’t manage to get their wings fully open. But I expect those are the ones that will get eaten by predators first, so all the millions that did hatch properly will be spared.
We are at “peak bloom” and they are starting to sing here. It’s loud. This is the scene in front of my house today.
Wow, quite an emergence! I’ve never experienced their full chorus, so my wife is anxious for me to hear the symphony.
We have thousands coming up every day on my street. There was an evening where we found a tree where the nymphs were coming up in huge numbers, and if you stood still for too long they would start climbing you. My office is the same – at least a hundred shells on the wall outside just my part of the building.
Amazing … naturally!