Which order do annual cicadas belong to?

The annual cicadas belong to the order Hemiptera. This order is characterized by insects that have mouthparts adapted for piercing and sucking. Although the provided answer indicates "Order of Homoptera," it's important to note that Homoptera was previously a separate order that included cicadas; however, it has since been merged into Hemiptera as a suborder. Thus, while the terminology has evolved, cicadas, including annual cicadas, are classified under Hemiptera, which encompasses a wide variety of true bugs, including aphids and planthoppers, along with cicadas.

To clarify the context around the other options: Orthoptera includes grasshoppers and crickets, Hymenoptera encompasses bees and wasps, and neither relates to cicadas. The historical classification using Homoptera is outdated, which may lead to confusion in current contexts, reinforcing the need to recognize that annual cicadas are indeed categorized under Hemiptera in contemporary classifications.