fascinate: to cause great interest
mature: to grow
periodical: reoccurring at specific times
droves: large numbers
brood: a group of living things that are hatched or born at the same time
emerge: to come out; to appear
overlap: to occupy the same space or time
schedule around: to plan the date or time of something at a different date or time than something else (to avoid overlap)
Cicadas Spend Most of Their Lives Underground
Cicadas are insects that fascinate bug lovers. The word cicada comes from a Latin word meaning “tree cricket”. The periodical cicadas in the US are the most fascinating. They have 13 or 17-year cycles. This means they spend 13 or 17 years maturing underground before emerging in droves to mate. Despite their long lives, these periodical cicadas only spend a few weeks as adults. They die shortly after mating, and the life cycle begins again. Some years no periodical cicadas emerge, while other years there are overlapping broods. Special charts called “brood maps” tell bug lovers exactly when and where the massive broods will emerge. Male cicadas make a loud humming sound to attract a mate. Even though cicadas don’t bite or sting, many people consider these large bugs to be pests. Some couples even use brood maps to schedule their outdoor weddings around mating season. Around the world, many other types of cicadas emergeannually in the summer. They have 2-5 year life cycles and don’t all emerge at once.
