Subject: The Cicadas Are Here!
1Dear Lina,
Guess what? The cicadas finally came out in our town! You told me you have never seen a cicada, so I am writing to tell you all about it.
2It started on Tuesday night. First, I saw small brown bugs crawling out of holes in our backyard. Next, they climbed up the trunk of our maple tree. By morning, each one had split open its old skin and crawled out with new wings. The empty brown shells were left hanging on the bark. Dad and I counted forty shells on one tree!
3These cicadas spend many years living underground. While they are young, they are called nymphs. A nymph drinks sap from tree roots and slowly grows. Our science teacher says this group of cicadas had been underground for seventeen years! That means they went into the ground long before I was born. Don't worry, cicadas do not sting.
4Now the adult cicadas are everywhere. They have red eyes and clear wings. The males buzz so loudly that Mom has to shout when we are outside. The buzzing is how the males call to the females. Under the trees, it sounds like a giant rattle that never stops. Adult cicadas live for only a few weeks, so our yard will be quiet again soon.
5I saved three shells for you in a jar. I will mail them next week so you can see one up close. Maybe someday you can visit when the cicadas come back. Write back and tell me if your town has any noisy bugs too!
Your cousin,
Mateo