It turns out insects can suffer from a bad trip, too.

Scientists investigating parasitic fungi that target cicadas have discovered traces of psychoactive chemicals in the infected insects, including an amphetamine and psilocybin, the potent compound found in hallucinogenic mushrooms.

The infection leads to a horrifying outcome for the host; after the fungus takes root inside the body, cicadas begin to show ‘hypersexual’ behaviors, causing males to attempt to mate with females and other males alike.

Eventually, the spores burst through the infected insect’s abdomen, ripping its genitals off in the process – and, the cicadas continue trying to mate afterwards.

Scientists investigating a parasitic fungus that targets cicadas have discovered traces of psychoactive chemicals in the infected insects, including an amphetamine and psilocybin, the potent compound found in hallucinogenic mushrooms. A fungal growth on a cicada is shown

The new study led by researchers at West Virginia University investigated fungal pathogens in the genus Massospora, which can be found in both periodical and annual cicadas.

Previous studies have made note of the bizarre sexual behaviours that result from the body-snatching fungus, revealing how it causes males to flick their wings like a female would to lure in other males.

By causing the cicadas to mate with both sexes, the fungus can spread its spores more widely.

‘This phenomenon is the ultimate evolutionary arms race, where the host loses because they are rendered sterile or evolutionarily irrelevant by the fungus in order to spread the spores,’ explained University of Connecticut ecology and evolutionary biology researcher John Cooley following a study released earlier this year.

In the new study, scientists have pinpointed some of the chemicals that could be contributing to the infected cicadas’ activity.

The researchers analyzed the fungal ‘plugs’ that sprout from the abdomens of infected cicadas, and found psychoactive plant and mushroom alkaloids.

Among the periodical cicadas infected with the fungus Massospora cicadina, they found the plant amphetamine, cathinone.

The infection leads to a horrifying outcome for the host; after the fungus takes root inside the body, cicadas begin to show ‘hypersexual’ behaviours, causing males to attempt to mate with females and other males alike

The new study led by researchers at West Virginia University investigated fungal pathogens in the genus Massospora, which can be found in both periodical and annual cicadas. File photo

And in the M. platypediae- and M. levispora-infected annual cicadas, they found the mushroom tryptamine, psilocybin.

According to the new study, these compounds could boost the cicadas’ endurance and suppress their feeding, allowing them to continue spreading spores even as their body deteriorates.

As the researchers note, the infected cicadas appear to continue on mating and flying as they would normally, despite their condition.

But ultimately, the insects die after being hijacked by the fungus.