Trillions of Cicadas, Including 'Zombie Cicadas,' to Emerge in the U.S. This Spring

Two broods of cicadas, infected by a sexually transmitted fungus, are expected to display unusual behaviors due to the pathogen.

Trillions of cicadas are set to emerge across several U.S. states this spring, with some exhibiting hyper-sexual 'zombie' behaviors due to a sexually transmitted fungus.
Brood XIX and Brood XIII, emerging every 13 and 17 years respectively, will converge in numbers not seen in generations.
The fungus, Massospora cicadina, causes infected cicadas to lose their genitals and display hyper-sexual behaviors, including males mimicking females to attract mates.
Researchers are still unsure how the fungus spreads but suspect it may infect cicadas underground before they emerge.
Periodical cicadas have a unique way of determining when to emerge, relying on the nutrient-rich 'spring elixir' from trees as a natural timer.