CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Trillions of bug-like insects called periodical cicadas are emerging from underground in the United States. These cicadas belong to Brood X-or the Great Eastern Brood and remain underground for almost their entire lives before briefly emerging to mate and then die.

Detailed explanation-2: -More than 3000 cicada species have been described worldwide. Most have a yearly life cycle, but seven species in the US belonging to the Magicicada genus remain underground as nymphs for 13 or 17 years before emerging, a process called periodical brooding.

Detailed explanation-3: -This year, billions of cicadas descended on the eastern United States. Unlike other groups of the insects, which show up on a yearly basis, this year’s crop-known as Brood X-only appears every 17 years.

Detailed explanation-4: -The 17-year cicadas are species of periodical cicadas, a group of homopterans with the longest known insect life cycle. The largest brood makes its appearance every 17 years, like clockwork, in the northeastern quarter of the United States.

Detailed explanation-5: -Periodical cicadas are found only in eastern North America. There are seven species-four with 13-year life cycles and three with 17-year cycles. The three 17-year species are generally northern in distribution, while the 13-year species are generally southern and midwestern.