Massospora cicadina
Massospora cicadina is a kind of fungus that likes to live on cicadas, which are insects that make really loud sounds. When a cicada is infected with this fungus, it can start to act in strange ways. It might start to jump around a lot, even though it's not trying to fly away. Sometimes it might even try to mate with other cicadas of the same gender!
The fungus works by infecting the cicada's body and changing the way it behaves. Once the fungus is in the cicada's body, it starts to grow and release chemicals that change its behavior. It causes the cicada to become more active, and makes it want to go to the top of a plant or tree. Once there, the cicada sticks itself onto a twig using its claws and stays there until it dies.
After the cicada dies, the fungus starts to grow out of its body and cover it with spores. These spores are tiny particles that can then float through the air and infect other cicadas. The fungus uses the cicada's body as a way to spread its spores and infect more cicadas.
While it might seem kind of scary to hear about a fungus that can make cicadas act weird and die, it's actually a natural part of the ecosystem. The fungus helps to control the population of cicadas, which can sometimes get out of control and cause damage to plants and trees. So, in a way, the fungus is actually helping to keep everything in balance!
The fungus works by infecting the cicada's body and changing the way it behaves. Once the fungus is in the cicada's body, it starts to grow and release chemicals that change its behavior. It causes the cicada to become more active, and makes it want to go to the top of a plant or tree. Once there, the cicada sticks itself onto a twig using its claws and stays there until it dies.
After the cicada dies, the fungus starts to grow out of its body and cover it with spores. These spores are tiny particles that can then float through the air and infect other cicadas. The fungus uses the cicada's body as a way to spread its spores and infect more cicadas.
While it might seem kind of scary to hear about a fungus that can make cicadas act weird and die, it's actually a natural part of the ecosystem. The fungus helps to control the population of cicadas, which can sometimes get out of control and cause damage to plants and trees. So, in a way, the fungus is actually helping to keep everything in balance!