【趣谈英语】蝉大部分时间都在地下-Cicadas Spend Most of Their Lives Underground

Cicadas are insects that fascinate bug² lovers. The word cicada comes from a Latin word meaning “tree cricket”. The periodical cicadas in the US are the most fascinating. They have 13 or 17-year cycles. This means they spend 13 or 17 years maturing underground before emerging in droves to mate. Despite their long lives, these periodical cicadas only spend a few weeks as adults. They die shortly after mating, and the life cycle begins again. Some years no periodical cicadas emerge, while other years there are overlapping³ broods. Special charts called “brood maps” tell bug lovers exactly when and where the massive broods will emerge. Male cicadas make a loud humming sound to attract a mate. Even though cicadas don’t bite or sting, many people consider these large bugs⁴ to be pests. Some couples even use brood maps to schedule their outdoor weddings around mating season. Around the world, many other types of cicadas emerge annually⁵ in the summer. They have 2-5 year life cycles and don’t all emerge at once.