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There are two main types of periodical cicadas. One type spends 17 years underground and the other spends 13 years underground. While they are underground they feed off of tree roots. When the cicadas come up from underground the male cicada makes his buzzing noise by vibrating the ribbed plates at the base of the stomach. . In fact the male cicada makes the loudest noise in the insect world. The loud annoying noise of the cicada can drown out the noise of a lawnmower. The noise can also be heard from a half of mile away. It is easy to tell if a cicada is a boy or a girl. Females have blade- like legs visible on the bottom abdomen and the males do not. Another way to tell whether the cicada is a boy or girl is that the male cicada makes the loud annoying noise and the females do not.

“It is common to still find cicada shells in yards, gardens, and under trees about one year after all the cicadas die.” Dr. Gene Kritsky, cicada expert of Mount St. Joseph College in Cincinnati.

* A cicadas buzz is not just a mating call. The noise also keeps birds away so the birds don't eat them.

* At the end of the cicadas rostrum (drinking tube), is a sharp point to poke a hole n the tree to suck the sap out. Although the point on the drinking tube is harmless to us.

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* The cicada actually has five eyes. The two larger eyes are usually red. The three smaller eyes are called ocelli. Ocelli means "tiny eyes." The Ocelli are used to detect light and darkness.

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* Nymphs (baby cicadas) shed four times.

* In the tropics cicadas feed on tree sap, when it appears a clear sky and droplets of it may be cicadas drinking.

* Cicadas can be eaten by birds and large wasps.

* Some cicadas make a sound that can be heard a 1/4 mile away.

* In some breeds both genders sing.
*The loudest insect in the world is the African Cicada. An African Cicada can make a calling sound that can be slightly louder than a jackhammer, which can be dangerous for our ears.
cicadas- 106.7 decibals (measure of sound.)
jackhammer-100 decibels.
Anything above 85 decibels can be dangerous to our ears.

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