White females become yellow as they age and then brown after they die. The brown stage is the cyst for which the nematode is named. Each cyst can contain up to 500 eggs, but under field conditions they usually contain many fewer eggs. The cyst protects the eggs from the soil environment. This SCN cyst has been broken open to reveal the eggs inside.
Eggs can remain viable for years even in the absence of a suitable host.
SCN cannot reproduce without a host plant. Conditions that favor soybean plant growth are favorable for SCN development.