'Flying salt shakers of death:' Fungal-infected zombie cicadas explained

Phys.org ^ | 06/26/2019 | Jake Stump, West Virginia University

[BenLurkin]

West Virginia University researchers have discovered that a cicada fungus called Massopora contains chemicals similar to those found in hallucinogenic mushrooms.

The fungus causes cicadas to lose their limbs and eccentric behavior sets in: Males try to mate with everything they encounter, although the fungus has consumed their genitals and butts.

Despite the horrid physical state of infected cicadas, they continue to roam around freely as if nothing's wrong, dousing other cicadas with a dose of their disease.

Kasson and his team are buzzing along on additional cicada research. They recently collected cicadas from this year's emergence in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. They plan to resequence the genome of the fungus and analyze the gene expression in both healthy and infected cicadas to better understand the genetic aspects of the discovery.

And beyond the discovery being downright creepy and fascinating, it may lead to someday benefiting the greater society instead of serving as nightmare fuel.

[Jhadur]

So...is this what might be to blame for Mayor Pete and his ‘receptacle’?

[Pearls Before Swine]

Males try to mate with everything they encounter...

Not all that unusual, in and of itself.

[alternatives?]

If God can do it to Cicadas, he can do it to humans.

[GingisK]

“Flying saltshakers of death” sounds like something Peter Falk would say in The Inlaws.

[z3n]

arthropods appear to be particularly susceptable to bizare exploitation of fungi. I think it has a lot to do with the chemical composition of their exoskeleton. If you get bored some time, checkout pictures of the coryceps

[vette6387]

“So...is this what might be to blame for Mayor Pete and his ‘receptacle’?”

I think in his “relationship,” he’s the “receptacle!”

[ClearCase_guy]

I wonder if this has anything to do with the long cicada life cycles? Maybe the fungi problem burns itself out during the 17 years the cicadas are underground?

[moovova]

You have to feel a little sorry for the cicada...especially the males. I mean, outside of being a little noisy, what’d they ever do to anybody?

[rlmorel]

"...Males try to mate with everything they encounter, although the fungus has consumed their genitals and butts..."

Hmm.Sound like a hormone overwhelmed 15 year old boy, or...Florida Man!

[rlmorel]

"...Males try to mate with everything they encounter, although the fungus has consumed their genitals and butts..."

Hmm.Sound like a hormone overwhelmed 15 year old boy, or...Florida Man!

[DannyTN]

How long before someone tries to smoke cicadas for the hallucinogenic effects?

[piasa]

oh great, now people are going to try to smoke zombie cicadas or make cicada brownies...

[bgill]

The “everything” they encounter must be gay cicadas with no genitals and butts because the lady cicadas would turn those ugly guys down flat.

[Sirius Lee]

Hopefully it spreads to locusts and Democrats. But I repeat myself.

[null and void]

You’ve been busy...

[Buckeye McFrog]

Tonight's feature on Monster Chiller Horror Theater is The Fugus-Infested Horny Zombie Cicadas from Moundsville, West Virginia starring Scott Brady, Annette Funicello, Godfrey Cambridge and Burl Ives.

[BenLurkin]

Awesome cast

[Carriage Hill]

No cicada salad this year, I guess.

[ronnie raygun]

Aids and the irresponsible of the insect kingdom