Photo Credit: Matthew Kasson
Oh, like that’s even the weirdest thing you’ve read today.
Recently, cicadas have been infected with a fungus that really increases their energy, which translates into a desire to mate. And they mate all right; they mate so hard that their rear ends fall off.
Researchers from the University of Washington, headed by mycologist Matthew Kasson, were able to identify the ingredients that caused this recent energy surge. They found traces of amphetamines and hallucinogens in cicadas that were infected with the Massopora fungus. The fungus is transmitted sexually and has even lead to males imitating female behavior to lure other male cicadas in.
In addition to that transmission, when cicadas are flying around, they are literally losing their body parts, which contains the fungus. The body parts and the fungus are falling onto other insects and infecting them.
When researchers found that amphetamines and hallucinogens were in the cicadas, they were stunned. The fungus carrying these psychoactive drugs are completely messing with the cicadas. Their increased sexual drive is creating a high in them that they can’t contain. The drive is so high that they are willing to lose parts of their body to continue the experience.
What has been the most surprising aspect of this whole fungus concoction is the fact that the cicadas don’t seem to be bothered by their entire backside disintegrating. They continue to go on with their daily lives as if nothing was wrong. This fungal cocktail is keeping the cicadas busy, despite the potential lethal ending, and they seem to have no concerns with the outcome.
It is fascinating for researchers to watch these cicadas seamlessly move on with missing body parts. Just think about how long it would take us to get used to an amputation. It would be a long and arduous process that could take months or even years to get comfortable with. But, the cicadas just keep on chugging like the Energizer bunny.
