Every summer, a familiar buzz fills the warm air. This loud, humming sound is the song of the cicada. Cicadas are fascinating insects famous for their noisy songs and incredible life cycles. While they might look a bit scary with their large, clear wings and wide-set eyes, they are completely harmless to humans.
Most of a cicada's life is spent hidden away underground. As tiny young insects called nymphs, they tunnel into the soil. There, they sip sap from tree roots to grow. Some cicada species, called annual cicadas, appear every single summer. However, the most famous ones are periodical cicadas. These amazing insects stay underground for either 13 or 17 years! When their time is up, millions of nymphs emerge from the soil all at once.
Once they climb out of the ground, the nymphs crawl up tree trunks or fences. Then, a magical transformation happens. They split open their hard outer shells, called exoskeletons, and crawl out as winged adults. If you walk through the woods in summer, you might find these empty, golden-brown shells still clinging to tree bark.
Only the male cicadas make the loud buzzing noise we hear. They have special drum-like organs on their abdomens called tymbals. By vibrating these tymbals incredibly fast, they produce their signature song to attract mates. This sound can be as loud as a lawnmower!
Even though they are loud and can crowd trees, cicadas are very helpful to nature. When they dig, they mix the soil and help air and water reach plant roots. When they die, their bodies decompose and provide rich nutrients for the soil. They also serve as a delicious, high-protein feast for birds, squirrels, and other wildlife. The next time you hear the summer buzz, you will know you are listening to one of nature's most unique musicians.
