Original Post: jonnysinsectca...
When the pre-adult Cicada emerges from the ground and settles on a good spot to molt, this is the result after 1-2 hours. The now fully-grown Cicada bursts open from the back of its shell and pushes itself out of its former body. When the process sounds simple, there are many hurdles to just through and delicate matters to address. For example, the Cicada is completely vulnerable to attack while molting. Moreover, if the spot it anchored on isn't secure, leaving its shell will be quite difficult as when the Cicada pulls, the shell will pull with it. As well, while the Cicada can easy push its body out of the exuvia, it must carefully pull out each leg as it leans back, the abdomen still held in the shell.
The front legs are relatively easily to remove as they undergo a drastic change in the final molt as they will no longer be used for digging, only grasping and climbing. Today's Dog-Day Cicada (Neotibicen canicularis) specimen has successfully freed itself after a lot of exertion and has pulled itself onto the grass. When the molting is done, a Cicada can then pump its wing buds to create large intricately veined wings. This process can take several minutes, and as it occurs the freshly-emerged Cicada begins to dry and harden its shell while in contact with the sunlight and the air. This will be the first of many discussions around adult-molted Cicadas, so expect a few more videos in the near future.
If you find a Cicada molting, I urge you to have a seat and watch one of nature's greatest miracles for yourself. It's a slow and steady process, but the transformation of a creature of the underground to a creature of the sky and trees is an experience only insects can give you.
For more insects and insect photography, you can visit my main blog: jonnysinsectcatalogue.tumblr.com
1 окт 2024
