Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor In late spring and early summer across the south and midwest, two broods of cicadas, XIX and XIII, will be hatching simultaneously. Cicada broods typically hatch every 13 and 17 years — for brood XIX and brood XIII, respectively — and the last time these broods hatched at the same time was 1803, making this an entomological phenomenon. All seven cicada species will be represented in both broods this year — it won’t be until 2037 that all seven are represented again. Jason Bittel from the “Washington Post” had the opportunity to sit down with experts on cicada life cycles. “It’s pretty spectacular, from the standpoint of a scientist that’s interested in cicadas,” said Matt Kasson, a mycologist at West Virginia University. Mycologists focus on the study of fungi and how they are spread. This time around, scientists hope to investigate and uncover the mysteries around a parasitic fungus that affects adult cicadas. The fungus, called Massospora cicadina, affects only the Magicicada species, also known as periodical cicadas because of the broods’ hatching periods. Infection of the cicadas first occurs when they emerge from their broods; spores attach themselves to their abdomens and begin to grow. When the fungus’ spores infect a cicada, its body is flooded with amphetamine and psilocybin, and its lower abdomen along with reproductive organs are replaced with the fungus. The fungus takes on a chalky white appearance, leading scientists to call them “saltshakers of death.” The presence of amphetamine and psilocybin in the cicada’s body changes the insects’ behavior. The most common behavior change in cicadas is...
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