How to Use periodical cicada in a Sentence

periodical cicada

noun
  • The periodical cicadas have emerged for the first time in 17 years and are part of two broods.
    — Fox News, 27 May 2024
  • Plus, periodical cicadas emerge only to molt, breed, lay eggs and die, all within a few weeks.
    — Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024
  • Why do oak leaf itch mites bite people after periodical cicadas emerged?
    — Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 13 Aug. 2024
  • By next month, something on the order of a trillion periodical cicadas will have made their way above ground.
    — Jasper Davidoff, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 May 2024
  • Most years, one brood of periodical cicadas makes an appearance above ground.
    — Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 30 May 2025
  • The lower halves of the periodical cicadas get replaced by a plug of fungus.
    — Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 7 May 2024
  • Many animals are pleased with the abundance of periodical cicadas—as a meal.
    — Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 7 May 2024
  • This summer, the number of periodical cicadas is expected to be extra large, as two broods emerge at the same time.
    — Evan Bush, NBC News, 29 Apr. 2024
  • There are two groups of periodical cicadas – those that emerge every 13 years and those that emerge every 17 years.
    — Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
  • This spring will see billions of periodical cicadas emerge in lawns and gardens across a broad swath of the United States.
    — Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024
  • Trillions of chirpy, red-eyed periodical cicadas emerged from underground in a rare double emergence event.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Dec. 2024
  • Once male and female periodical cicadas have mated and the latter has laid eggs, the insects die after spending only a few weeks above ground.
    — Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 May 2025
  • Since then, the nymphs of those periodical cicadas have been underground feeding on tree root tap and waiting to come out, Reall said.
    — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2025
  • In years when periodical cicadas emerge, tree flagging, or patches of withered and wilted leaves, can be widespread and dramatic.
    — USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024
  • Trillions of periodical cicadas — otherwise known as your favorite bug expert’s favorite bug — are emerging from the ground this spring.
    — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • The exact timing is unpredictable, but periodical cicadas wait until the ground warms to 64 degrees to come out.
    — Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 5 Jan. 2025
  • The periodical cicadas are part of what scientists have labeled as Brood IX.
    — Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner, 20 May 2020
  • Trillions of periodical cicadas from two broods are emerging from their underground habitats in over a dozen states this year, filling the air and creating a lot of noise in the process.
    — Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 18 May 2024
  • The periodical cicadas are among the millions in the area that have emerged from the ground and taken to the trees during the past couple of weeks as part of their 17-year hatch cycle.
    — Li Cohen, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2024
  • Known as periodical cicadas, these insects show up every 13 or 17 years, depending on the species.
    — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 22 May 2024
  • Trillions of periodical cicadas are already emerging in a rare, two brood event across multiple states, with more expected to come in the following weeks.
    — Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
  • Trillions of periodical cicadas are already emerging in a rare, two brood event across multiple states, with more expected to come in the following weeks.
    — Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
  • There are seven species of periodical cicadas – three that appear every 17 years and four that appear every 13.
    — Li Cohen, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2024
  • This year may be an anomaly due to a cold spell delaying the periodical cicada arrival in Ohio and Indiana.
    — Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 27 May 2021
  • The app's goal is to map the 2021 emergence of the periodical cicada Brood X (and other broods of course).
    — Sarah Brookbank, The Enquirer, 21 Apr. 2021
  • Kritsky wants to remind people about Smith and how his long and careful study of the periodical cicada set the foundation for future researchers.
    — Washington Post, 26 May 2021
  • In the coming weeks, billions of periodical cicadas will rise up from the ground across the midwestern and southeastern United States.
    — Vox Staff, Vox, 6 May 2024
  • File photo of an adult periodical cicada in the Northern Illinois Brood.
    — Taylor Johnston, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The species is notable for having both annual cicadas, which emerge and mate every year, and periodical cicadas which emerge after 13 or 17 years.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Though some cicadas surface every year, periodical cicadas spend most of their lives underground before emerging en masse every 13 or 17 years to mate and start the cycle over again.
    — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'periodical cicada.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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