As trillions of cicadas are expected to emerge throughout the United States in spring, experts are predicting that some of the insects will be infected with a sexually transmitted fungus turning them into sex-obsessed so-called “zombie cicadas.”
Periodical cicadas, a common term used to refer to any of the seven cicada species, emerge after spending 13 to 17 years underground. This year, however, there will be two specific ones that emerge called Brood XIX and Brood XIII, according to CBS News. (RELATED: Newly Discovered Insect Nearly Mistaken For Bird Droppings)
The Brood XIX species, typically emerging every 13 years, is expected to emerge from Georgia and the Southeast, with the later species, typically emerging every 17 years, predicted to emerge in Illinois, the outlet reported. In addition to massive numbers of cicadas emerging, West Virginia University Associate Professor of Mycology and Forest Pathology told CBS News that both of the broods could be infected with a fungus called Massospora cicadina.
“The cicada continues to participate in normal activities, like it would if it was healthy,” Kasson told the outlet. “Like it tries to mate, it flies around, it walks on plants. Yet, a third of its body has been replaced by fungus. That’s really kind of bizarre.”
A pile of dead and dying periodical cicadas, a member of Brood X, and their cast off nymph shells collects at the base of a tree. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
After emerging from the ground, cicadas will molt into their adult bodies with the fungus potentially affecting them within a week to 10 days. The infection shows on the backside of their abdomens and causes the body to open up and reveal a chalky, white plug that erupts out, according to CBS News. Once the plug takes over the insects’ body, it causes their genitals to fall off.
Kasson stated that an amphetamine, which could give them stamina, may be the reason why the bug can ignore the massive fungus on its body. However, a noticeable effect of the disease is that it affects the way the cicadas mate, spreading it around like an “STD,” according to the assistant professor.
“But there’s also something else unusual about it,” Kasson told CBS News. “There’s this hyper-sexualized behavior. So, males for example, they’ll continue to try and mate with females — unsuccessfully, because again, their back end is a fungus. But they’ll also pretend to be females to get males to come to them. And that doubles the number of cicadas that an infected individual comes in contact with.”
“In that way, the fungus is sexually transmissible. So, it spreads like an STD.”
Kasson urged people to not kill or eat the bugs, but instead take photos so that researchers can continue to gather data.