Strange cicada facts to know before they emerge this spring: Zombie STD, strongest stream in animal kingdom

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 with flows that put 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 are rescuers of caterpillars.

And they are being ravaged by a sexually transmitted disease that turns them into zombies.

RARE 'SIMULTANEOUS EXPLOSION' OF CICADAS EXPECTED FOR FIRST TIME IN 221 YEARS

Inside trees are sugary, nutrient-heavy saps that flow through tissue called phloem. Most...