What a year 2020 has been for us all! Last month we found out about 'murder hornets' and now scientists have concluded there is also a 'zombie cicada' infestation occurring as well.
No this is not a joke.
Zombie cicadas have been spotted in West Virginia and are insects that have been infected with a parasitic, psychedelic fungus called Massospora. Massospora contains chemicals, including ones that are found in hallucinogenic mushrooms that can mess with the minds of the cicadas and thus also changing their behaviors.
For example, when infected, a male cicada begins rubbing its wings together and giving off a mating call that only the females can produce. This then attracts other males, thinking it is a female calling to them, and the first cicada begins infecting them with the fungus.
The fungus has confused scientists for years and remains a microbiological oddity.
These zombie cicadas look just like regular cicadas except some of its body is covered with white fungal spores that start oozing off. These open spores are how the fungus spreads throughout the colony.
They have not been known to harm humans, thankfully, only other insects and themselves.
The fungus in their bodies causes them to rot from the inside out while also giving them increased stamina and wakefulness. This is why they are called 'zombie' cicadas, they are awake at odd hours of the night, yet continue to fly around as if nothing is wrong when in fact they are missing pieces from their bodies that are also failing them at the same time.
Just another thing to add to 2020!