Summer's Loud Bugs

Do you hear that sound in the summer? It is a loud buzz, like a tiny machine. These sounds come from cicadas. Cicadas are insects that spend most of their lives underground. They eat roots and grow slowly. When they are ready, they dig their way up to the light. This often happens in July. Once above ground, cicadas shed their old skin. They climb onto trees and plants. Male cicadas make the loud buzzing sound. They rub parts of their bodies together to sing. This song helps them find other cicadas. Females lay their eggs in tree branches. After a few weeks, the adult cicadas die. Their babies hatch and drop to the ground. Then they dig down to start a new cycle. It can take many years for them to come back out.