Cicada

Cicada

Cicada (/sɪˈkɑːdə/ or /sɪˈkeɪdə/) is a term used to refer to any species in the insect family Cicadidae. The insects are well-known for their distinctive sound, which is often associated with hot summer days.

Etymology

The term "cicada" is derived from the Latin cicada, meaning "tree cricket". There is no direct English translation for the word, but it is often used in a metaphorical sense to refer to a loud noise, referencing the insect's distinctive sound.

Description

Cicadas are large insects with broad heads, clear-membrane wings, and large compound eyes. They are known for their unique life cycle, which includes a long period of underground development followed by a brief adult stage.

Life Cycle

The life cycle of a cicada begins when the female deposits her eggs in a slit in the bark of a tree. The nymphs that hatch from these eggs drop to the ground and burrow into the soil, where they will remain for several years (often 13 or 17 years, depending on the species) feeding on the sap from tree roots. When the nymphs are ready to metamorphose into adults, they dig their way to the surface, shed their exoskeletons, and emerge as adult cicadas.

Species

There are over 3,000 known species of cicadas, which are divided into two main types: annual cicadas, which appear every year, and periodical cicadas, which emerge in large numbers every 13 or 17 years.

Related Terms

• Nymph: The immature form of insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis.
• Metamorphosis: A process by which an insect develops from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages.
• Exoskeleton: A rigid external covering for the body in some invertebrate animals, especially arthropods, providing both support and protection.

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Cicada
• Wikipedia's article - Cicada

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