Sound of Summer: Cicadas

It is summertime and soon, a familiar buzzing will fill the air – the Cicadas have emerged!

2024 is a historic year for cicadas in North America: two broods of two species of periodical cicadas will be emerging all at the same time for the first time in over two centuries. North Texas, however, can expect to see only the usual annual cicadas emerge: the Dog-Day Cicada and the Resh Cicada. Besides their loud calls coming from the tree tops, the most common evidence of their presence that you will see is their exuvia, or the shed skin ‘shells’. 

If enjoying the summer insects outside isn’t your style, Plano Public Library has plenty of ways to appreciate insects inside! 

• Cicada Symphony – this rhyming non-fiction picture book introduces young readers to cicadas
• Common Insects of Texas and Surrounding States: A Field Guide – meet 1,300 insects that call Texas home and learn their identifying information in the field guide
• Be a Citizen Scientist: Backyard Bugs, June 3 at 6 pm – this virtual program for adults introduces insect-focused citizen science projects. Register here
• Insect Investigators, June 10 at 11 am at Haggard and August 29 at 10 am at Harrington-Preschoolers will learn about the world of insects through simple STEAM and early literacy activities
• Happy Bee-Day, August 18 at 2pm, Schimelpfenig Library – learn all about bees in this family-friendly STEAM program; there will even be a beekeeper there!