“This fungus manifests itself in the abdomen, sort of filling with a chalk-like structure. As it fills, the very tip of the abdomen tips off. It looks like someone stuck a piece of tan chalk up in the abdominal cavity of the insect.” The result is typically the loss of the rear half of the insect’s body. Even with limbs and abdomens missing, these little cicadas are still mobile. They can still fly, Kritsky said, and are still very much alive.

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