How a parasitic fungus turns periodical cicadas into flying saltshakers of death
In short: After 17 years underground, Brood X cicadas emerge for a brief, noisy mating season. Yet, a silent killer awaits: a fungus that consumes them from within, hijacks their brains, and forces them into a state of rabid mania. These infected insects become known as flying saltshakers of death.
Periodical cicadas are a unique North American phenomenon, spending nearly their entire lives hidden deep underground. Nestled among tree roots, they spend 13 or 17 years silently sipping fluids before emerging in massive, synchronized swarms. This strategy has allowed them to survive for hundreds of millions of years, even coexisting with dinosaurs. Today, there are thousands of cicada species globally, but these periodical groups are distinct for their long, subterranean development cycles.
When these cicadas finally emerge, they engage in a frantic, deafening chorus of mating calls. Male cicadas compete to attract females, with their survival as a species dependent on these brief, intense love connections. Biologist Chris Simon, who has studied these insects for nearly 50 years, notes that their songs are complex, changing in response to female clicks. These loud mating rituals have famously interrupted everything from golf tournaments and weddings to murder investigations.
However, this fleeting moment in the sun is threatened by a parasitic fungus. As National Geographic Explorer Matt Kasson has documented, this fungus infects the cicadas, effectively eating them from the inside out. The infection does more than kill the host; it manipulates the insect's behavior, inducing a rabid mania that researchers describe as a form of brain hijacking. The resulting infected cicadas are referred to as flying saltshakers of death, a term so unusual it even prompted researchers to consult with federal drug enforcement agents regarding the chemical nature of the fungus's influence.
Despite the ruckus they cause, scientists argue that cicadas deserve respect rather than fear. Their emergence is a rare, spectacular biological event that leaves a lasting impression on the landscapes they inhabit. While their noise can be overwhelming, the complex life cycle and the bizarre biological threats they face highlight the strange, hidden dramas occurring within the natural world.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How Cicadas Become Flying Saltshakers of Death | Podcast | Overheard at National Geographic
- Also: Episode 4: How cicadas become flying saltshakers of death
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