Fun facts about cicadas and STEM unit study ideas for science! Looking to study insects / learning about bugs, want to create a cicada lesson plan or want to know more about the new Brood emerging this year? Learning about cicadas is a fun STEAM lesson to add to your homeschooling or classroom studies. Get a free printables pack download!
FACTS ABOUT CICADAS FOR STEM UNIT STUDIES (UPDATED FOR THIS YEAR!)
You may have seen (and heard!) cicadas on trees or even pictures of cicadas molting. But have you considered adding cicada bug facts to your lessons or doing some cicada crafts?
Interesting facts about flying cicadas:
- Those loud noises you hear are made mostly from the male cicadas.
- Each periodical cicada species has a distinct sound.
- They are some of the loudest insects and female cicadas can hear the males up to 1 mile away!
- Cicadas are often mistakenly called locusts.
- Scientists don’t really understand why cicadas stay underground so long, some for up to 17 years!
- Cicadas emerge when the ground has warmed to around 65 °F.
- Females lay hundreds of eggs over 50 different locations.
- A group of cicadas that emerge at the same time is called a Brood.
- There are some Broods that have gone extinct!
- One single Brood can have billions of cicadas in it!
- Indigenous North Americans ate cicadas by roasting them and eating them like peanuts.
Don’t miss your free cicada worksheet printable at the bottom of the post!
Learning About Cicadas For Kids
Here’s some cicada information that you can add to your learning for Brood learning, insect studies, and fun bug lessons!
What are cicadas?
Cicadas are insects that spend the majority of their lives underground. They emerge from the ground either annually or periodically. Cicadas are most known for their loud buzzing and whirring noises during the summer.
Why do cicadas cry?
Cicadas don’t actually cry, they sing “songs.” That cicada sound — the buzzing, whirring, and clicking noises you hear coming from cicadas — are made by body parts and wings, mostly from male cicadas. They make noises for a variety of reasons, including to attract female cicadas!
Can cicadas bite?
Cicadas do not intend to bite humans. They actually look for plants to suck juice from with a long mouth tube that acts as a straw. If they land on a human that they’ve mistaken for a tree or plant. So if you’re wondering do cicadas bite or sting humans, they may mistakenly use that tube with a sucking motion that may feel like a bite or a sting to a human.
Do cicadas eat?
So, what do cicadas eat? Cicadas are herbivores and that means they eat plants. Cicadas don’t eat the way we think by chewing. They actually suck liquid from plants, mainly by sucking nutrients from the roots.
What is the life cycle of a cicada?
The cicada lifecycle is made up of eggs, nymphs, and adults. During emergence, the nymphs molt from their skin into a fully formed adult cicada who is ready to mate and start the cycle all over again.
How long does a cicada live?
The cicada lifespan varies based on species of cicada. Cicadas can live anywhere from a couple of years up to 17 years, like those in the Brood X.
What are cicadas habitat?
Cicadas like to live in deciduous trees and plants. The adults will live in tree and shrub branches and leaves.
Where do cicadas live?
Where do you find cicadas? Periodic cicadas (like Brood X and other broods), or those that emerge from the ground every few years, are only found in North America. However, cicadas are found all over the world, including in Australia and Europe.
Can cicadas kill you?
Cicadas are not harmful to humans, even when they emerge in swarms. So, no. they won’t kill you. Cicadas can be harmful to plants when they are trying laying eggs on them, especially young plants and trees.
About Cicada Broods
Periodical groups of cicadas that come out from below the ground during regular cycles are called broods. There are different broods that appear at 13 years and 17 years. Periodical broods are named with Roman Numerals (like Brood X, where X means 10). Periodical cicadas are only found in North America.
DID YOU KNOW? Periodical cicadas are only found inNorth America.
What is Brood X?
Brood X is a group of cicadas, also called The Great Eastern Brood. They are part of the 17 year cicadas that come out of the ground every 17 years. When they come out, there will be billions of cicadas for this cycle! They last came out in 2021.
2024 Cicada Brood Cycle
There are two broods emerging for 2024: BROOD XIX and BROOD XIII.
Brood XIX (#19), also called “The Great Southern Brood,” is a 13-year brood, which are the largest periodical broods and emerge every 13 years.They’re expected to emerge in mid-May to late June 2024.
Brood XIII (#13), also called “Northern Illinois Brood,” is a 17-year brood, which means it emerges every 17 years. They’re expected to emerge in Spring 2024 (May-June).
DO A CICADA PROJECT WITH THIS FUN CICADA WORKSHEET PACK!
If you’re planning on learning about bugs and insects, this learning unit is a perfect addition! Great for elementary insect lessons or even Brood X lesson plans middle school.
You’ll get cicada facts for kids / definition cicadas, life of a cicada (cicada life stages diagram), learning about do cicadas bite or suck your blood (OUCH!), cicada habitat, cicada tymbal, where cicadas live, cicada coloring sheet printable / insect life cycle worksheets, cicada activities for kids, Brood X cicadas map, activity worksheets and more — enough to make a fun unit study on cicadas! Grab the printable pack!
CICADA BOOKS FOR KIDS
Add our favorite children’s books to read for more cicada insect facts:
- Cicada Symphony (If you only read one cicada book for your studies, make it this one! I can’t explain to you how beautiful the illustrations are for this book. Plus, it has a fun rhyme and also includes the scientific facts about cicadas to go with it.)
- When Will Cicada Sing?
FREE CICADA PRINTABLES: ANATOMY OF A CICADA
Grab this free cicada diagram, perfect for insect lessons and cicadas life cycle studies for elementary students and up!
MORE NATURE LEARNING FUN: Outdoor Class Room Ideas + Nature Learning Space Ideas for Kids
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE FACTS ABOUT CICADAS AND HAVE FUN WITH PROJECT CICADA!
STARTING HOME SCHOOL? CHECK OUT OUR HOW TO HOMESCHOOL GUIDE
