WinterBorn
Diamond Member
"Kasson told NPR last month that the fungus is unique because it does “active-host transmission,” meaning that it keeps the cicada alive — and flying around — even after about a third of its body has been replaced by fungal tissue. “This is the puppeteer — the fungus — pulling the strings on its unsuspecting host,” he said. “It's keeping the host active to attempt to mate to spread the spores.”"
"“Eventually, their fungal plug gets ripped open, and they fly around raining down spores, further spreading the fungus,” they wrote. “Some scientists call the cicadas at this stage 'flying salt shakers of death.' ""
"Kasson says not to worry about the welfare of the infected cicadas, in part because of another curious side effect of the fungus.
“It turns out the fungus produces a stimulant called cathinone that likely means the cicadas don’t mind because they are possibly high out of their minds,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter)."
Ain't nature wonderful?