They found that the bugs douse other cicadas with spores that cause the same infection, leading the scientists to nickname the cicadas "flying salt shakers of death." But they didn't fully understand how the psychedelic fungus — named massospora — tricks cicadas into spreading the disease to so many healthy counterparts.

The most sinister aspect of massospora is that the fungus eats away at infected cicadas genitals, butts, and abdomens, replacing them with fungal spores.

Lovett and his team found that even though infected cicadas can lose up to one-third of their bodies to the fungus, they continue to roam, fly, and fornicate as if nothing's wrong.

"When you're infected with rabies, you become aggressive, you become afraid of water and you don't swallow," Lovett said

The study also pinpointed when during their life cycle the cicadas may get infected

Baby cicadas — called nymphs — spend the first 17 years of their lives underground, feeding on plant roots