cicada

Everyday

1. A cicada is a large insect with clear wings and big eyes that lives in warm places; male cicadas make a very loud buzzing or clicking song in summer. tree →
2. Young cicadas (nymphs) live underground for years, then climb out, shed their skin and become adults. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons cicadas show life cycles and metamorphosis: they leave empty skins on trees. Some North American cicadas (periodical cicadas) come out all together every 13 or 17 years — both prime numbers. In Australia, children collect cicadas with names like Green Grocer and Black Prince. Phrases: cicada song, cicada shell, periodical cicadas.

Examples

• The cicadas sang loudly all through the hot afternoon. tree →
• We found an empty cicada shell stuck to the tree. tree →
• Periodical cicadas come out every 17 years in some parts of the USA. tree →
• Male cicadas make sound with drum-like parts on their bodies. tree →
• In Australia, the Green Grocer cicada is bright green. tree →
• Cicadas suck sap from trees. tree →
• The cicada nymph lived underground for years. tree →

Note

Pronounced si-KAH-duh (UK) or si-KAY-duh (US). Plural cicadas. Myth: cicadas are not locusts (locusts are a kind of grasshopper). In maths, 13 and 17 are prime numbers, which helps the cicadas avoid predators with shorter cycles.