Psychedelic Frenzy
Some of the billions of Brood X cicadas that are emerging from the soil in the eastern United States for the first time in 17 years are infected with a fungus that eats away at their abdomens as it increases their sex drive.
The Massospora cicadina fungus lies dormant until the 17-year periodical cicadas begin to stir. It’s laced with the same chemical as in psychedelic mushrooms and causes the males to emit the mating sounds of both males and females. This attracts more potential partners and spreads the fungus.
Since the fungus effectively castrates the males as it eats away at their bodies, it acts as a natural population control, making it impossible for the infected insects to mate successfully.
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