Periodical Cicadas Quiz

What is the primary diet of cicadas?

• Human flesh

• Animal blood

• Plant juices

• Insects

How often do Magicicada cicadas emerge?

• Every 20 years

• Every year

• Every 5 years

• Every 13 or 17 years

What triggers the emergence of cicadas from the ground?

• Rainfall

• Soil temperature reaching 64°F

• Predator presence

• Full moon

What is the main reason cicadas emerge in large numbers?

• To compete with other insects

• To find more food

• To ensure enough survive to reproduce

• To scare predators

What is the main survival strategy of cicadas?

• Synchronized emergence in large numbers

• Emerging in small numbers

• Hiding underground forever

• Changing their diet

Why do cicadas use prime numbers for their life cycles?

• To avoid predators with cyclical patterns

• To confuse humans

• To align with lunar phases

• To synchronize with plant cycles

How do cicadas protect themselves from overlapping broods?

• By changing their emergence time

• By using prime number cycles

• By migrating to different areas

• By altering their diet

What is the role of genetics in cicada life cycles?

• It determines their color

• It keeps broods on their specific cycle

• It affects their size

• It influences their diet

What is the concept of 'accidental cooperation' in cicadas?

• Cicadas plan their emergence together

• Cicadas cooperate with other insects

• Cicadas unknowingly benefit the group by following their cycle

• Cicadas intentionally help each other

What did Stephen Jay Gould compare cicada evolution to?

• Einstein's theory of relativity

• Darwin's theory of evolution

• Newton's laws of motion

• Adam Smith's invisible hand in economics