Hi everyone,
We're back to talk about another animal.
We're back to talk about another animal.
Cicadas (Cicadoidea) are invertebrates and are 1.9cm to 5.7cm in size.
There are 3 000 species that can be divided into annual cicadas and periodical
cicadas. Annual cicadas can be seen annually and are found worldwide whereas
periodical cicadas only leave the ground every decade or two and are only
found in North America with hotspots in the eastern and central areas of the
United States. Most annual cicadas have a lifespan of about two to five years
and periodical cicadas can live up to the age of 17.
Female cicadas lay around 400 eggs split up over several places. They normally
lay their eggs on twigs, branches or other vegetation. The eggs hatch after
about six to ten weeks, now known as nymphs, and dig their way into the soil.
The nymphs feed on the liquids found in plant roots. They fully develop
underground, before molting their shells and coming to the surface, now fully
developed adults. They then mate and lay eggs. Periodical cicada adults die about four to six weeks after leaving the ground.
Periodical cicadas do emerge almost every single year though, because they are
split into 15 staggered brood cycles, each one lasting about 13-17 years. A
brood emerges once the ground temperature in the top 30cm of soil has reached
18 degrees Celsius, normally in late April and early May. Up to 1.5 million
individuals are possible in one single acre. This may sound dangerous, however
cicada clouds are not as destructive as locust clouds, because they drink tree
sap rather than stripping vegetation. Although younger trees can suffer, the
vast majority of mature trees recieve no permanent or serious damage from
these plagues.
Cicada clouds are known to be very loud, reaching up to 100 decibels. Clicking
and buzzing sounds are species specific and are used as alarm signals and
mating calls.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Happy Easter if you're celebrating
it!
Your Green World Blog Teamš
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