Cicada Bug Homework Worksheet house refined layout final clean layout final final v2
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6th Science: Why are Identical Twins Rare U3L3.1
Unit 3 Lesson 3.1 – Homework
Directions: Read the article below about periodical cicadas. Use the text to help you understand
their unique life cycle.
Periodical cicadas spend most of their lives underground.
Invasion of the
Periodical Cicadas
Look at the bug! Many bugs live in the dirt. They grow there for a long time. Then they come up at night. They fill the town.
They have wings. They have orange eyes. They fly to the trees. They sing a loud song. After a few weeks, they die. They leave their bodies on the ground. Later, new bugs come back.
This is real! These bugs are called cicadas (si-KAY-dahs). They make a loud sound. Cicadas live in the dirt. At special times, millions come out. They find friends, reproduce, and then die.
There are many types, or species, of cicada. Some live for only one year. They grow, come up to reproduce, and die.
Others are called periodical cicadas. They live in the dirt for a long time. They come out on a schedule. Periodical cicadas come up once every 13 or 17 years! They are the longest living bugs on Earth!
Coming out all at once is good. When millions of bugs look for friends, it is easy to reproduce. This means there will be a new generation of bugs. They come out in 13 or 17 years, just like their parents. This helps them have offspring (babies).
Name:
Date:
Campus:
Homeroom:
6th Science: Why are Identical Twins Rare U3L3.1
Having so many bugs out at once also keeps them safe from predators. A predator is an animal that eats other animals. Some bugs will be eaten.
But there are so many bugs! The predators cannot eat them all! Most of the bugs will live and reproduce. This is a great way to keep the whole species alive.
Why do periodical cicadas come out every 13 or 17 years? This helps them hide from predators. Some birds have more babies every few years. If bugs came out more often, too many birds might eat them.
But 13 and 17 are special numbers. They do not match the birds. Fewer bugs get eaten. This lets millions of new bugs grow and return years later.
Student Notes & Annotations
Use this space to underline key vocabulary words or draw what you learned about the cicada life cycle.
