A cicada is an insect. It is about three centimeters long. Like many other insects, it has six legs and two compound eyes. The adult cicada also has two sets of wings. Cicadas do not cause any harm. They do not bite. They do not carry any diseases. And they do not eat plants.
There are over two thousand kinds of cicadas around the world. Australia has more than two hundred different kinds of cicadas. And you can find about one hundred and fifty different kinds in South Africa. Besides, there are about one hundred and twenty kinds in China. Most cicadas come out of the ground once every year. But there are seven kinds of cicadas that stay under the ground for many years. Three of these live underground for seventeen years! All of these cicadas are found only in the United States.
In a cicada's whole life, it mainly goes through two stages. In the beginning, when a cicada is under the ground, it is called a baby cicada. It drinks juice from tree roots and it is covered in a hard shell. At this time, it has no wings-just legs. After coming out of the ground, it breaks out of its old shell, Under the old shell is a new shell and four wings. Gradually, the baby cicada grows into an adult. After a cicada becomes an adult, it only has about a month to live. Before it dies, it must mate with another cicada. This is why the cicada sings. The male cicadas sing to appeal to the females.
six legs | Appearance | A cicada | Distribution | over 200 kinds in Australia |
about 150 kinds in | ||||
two compound eyes | ||||
about 120 kinds in China | ||||
an adult has wings | ||||
7 special kinds in | ||||
about three centi-meters long | ||||
Growth process | living as a baby cicada, drinking juice from tree roots | |||
as an adult, it can live for only about |
