Cicadas are nature’s weirdos. They pee stronger than us and an STD can turn them into zombies
By SETH BORENSTEIN
AP Science Writer
The periodical cicadas that are about to infest two parts of the United States aren’t just plentiful, they’re downright weird. These insects are the strongest urinators in the animal kingdom, putting humans and elephants to shame. They have pumps in their heads that pull moisture from the roots of trees, allowing them to feed for more than a decade underground. They’re being ravaged by a sexually transmitted disease that turns them into zombies. And when they come out from underground, caterpillars love it because it gives birds something else to eat — trillions of crunchy bugs.