Zombie-like fungus could turn cicadas into ‘saltshakers of death’ this summer: experts

CLEVELAND (WJW/NEXSTAR) — An epic amount of cicadas are expected to soon infiltrate over a dozen states, with two broods emerging from their current earthen homes to fill the air with their song.

But some of the bugs will bring far more foul luggage: a fungus that has a zombie-like effect on their bodies and minds. If your own mind immediately conjured thoughts of “The Last of Us,” don’t worry — this fungus will only affect cicadas.

We’re only a couple of weeks away from Brood XIX emerging. Considered the largest periodical cicada group, they emerge every 13 years. Then, another group, Brood XIII, will emerge. This group resurfaces every 17 years. Some are referring to it as a “cicada-geddon,” with trillions of cicadas expected to appear with one mission: to mate, and start the process all over again.

But they won’t all be affected by the Massospora cicadina fungus, researchers at West Virginia University recently told CNN. Current predictions say there is a chance that only about 10% of the cicadas that emerge in the coming weeks will be infected.

Dr. Matt Kasson, an associate professor of mycology and forest pathology at WVU, explained to CNN that it will be grisly for that group. The fungus will grow inside of them until there’s nowhere else to go and “a clump of spores erupts out of where the genitals and abdomen once were. It looks like there’s a gumdrop that’s been dropped in chalk dust, glued to the backside of these cicadas.”

The fungus also causes limb loss, and male cicadas will go around in a “hypersexual” state, trying to mate with anything they encounter.

“They are only zombies in the sense that the fungus is in control of their bodies,” Kasson said in 2019 when he and a group of researchers published a study showing the fungus contains chemicals not unlike those in hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Students at the university dubbed these bugs “flying salt shakers of death,” as they’re able to release and spread spores after the grisly gumdrop has been removed from their abdomen. Those spores can spread the fungus to the next group of cicadas.

Unfortunately for the cicadas, the fungus reaches them while they’re underground. Then, within about a week of emerging from their years-long slumber, the fungal infection appears, according to WVU.

Scientists hope further research of the fungus could lead to new drug discovery while working to analyze what this means for cicada genetics.

Should the thought of fungus-filled cicadas entice your tastebuds for some reason, it’s worth noting that, according to researchers, you would need to eat a lot of them to feel the effects of the hallucinogenic mushroom-like chemicals. And, like most possibly-infected things, experts say you shouldn’t eat them anyway.

The cicadas of Broods XIX and XII, zombie-like or not, are expected to awaken from their naps (which started in 2011 and 2007, respectively) next month, if they aren’t already. This is the first time they’ll co-emerge since 1803, according to the University of Connecticut.

Whether you see any cicadas depends on where you live. Outside of hurting your ears with their singing or spattering you with their urine, cicadas are harmless to humans and pets.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.