Cicada nymph development

In 2004, tiny cicada nymphs the size of a rice grain tumbled to earth, buried themselves, and began feeding on roots of plants. After shedding their skin a few times, they were the size of a jellybean several years later. By year fourteen they had grown to almost one inch in length. Now cicadas are peeking out of the soil and putting the finishing touches on exit holes before they emerge. Soon the jailbreak will be underway as they dash to vertical structures to shed their skins and head to the treetops.

[InTheGardenandTheBlessings]

What comes first the Cicada or the egg... little babies learning to burrow backwards.

[thepezjoker]

Do we know how quickly they get underground once they fall, and how far underground they initially go? I am considering doing some gardening work under a tree that had plenty of periodical cicadas this year, and i don't want my digging/transplanting to mess with the nymphs since we're in the hatching window now. Should I wait a month until they've all hatched and go underground, or do they get where they need to go quick enough that I won't be bothering them?