Prompt Cast
The Unique Life Cycle of Periodic Cicadas
TLDR Periodic cicadas have a fascinating life cycle where they emerge every 13 or 17 years, engaging in a reproductive strategy known as predator satiation. These insects are a common species found on every continent except Antarctica and are a popular food choice for humans during their short window of emergence.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Billions of periodic cicadas emerge every 17 years in a coordinated fashion, covering the skies and trees, as part of their unusual life cycle.
01:19
Cicadas are a common species of insect found on every continent except Antarctica, with over 3,000 species and most having an annual life cycle.
02:23
Periodic cicadas have a unique development cycle where they only appear once every 13 or 17 years, engaging in a reproductive strategy known as predator satiation to ensure survival.
03:33
When the ground temperature reaches a certain level in late April or early May, all the cicadas in a brood emerge at the same time and molt.
04:37
Cicadas feed by making small slits in plants and consuming their fluid, but they don't consume the plants themselves and won't kill them, and as adults their main purpose is to reproduce.
05:38
The 13 or 17 year cycle of cicadas is likely due to the fact that these numbers are prime, making it difficult for other species to develop a reproduction cycle that aligns with the cicadas' emergence.
06:38
Cicadas have a short window of about a week after they emerge from the ground before they develop their hard exoskeleton, making them a popular food choice for humans, especially in the form of cicada tacos.
