Cicada Observation

On Wednesday morning (9/4) I went outside and discovered a Cicada shedding it's skin/shell on Steve's dolly wheel (we have aluminum cans in the barrel on the dolly).  I ran in and told Eli and Hope what was going on and they wanted to come out and watch too.  The other kiddos were still in the camper sleeping so I let them be.  Of course, since I didn't wake them up, they were upset that I didn't.  :-P 

Here it is about halfway out of it's shell.  Doesn't it look really big? 

And further out.

Almost all the way out.  I thought for sure he was just going to flop out on the ground!  See how folded up his wings are sticking out the sides of his body?

He pulled himself up and grabbed onto the top of his old shell to pull himself out the rest of the way.

He's got his wings unfolded a bit and they are started taking shape.

Look how big the wings are now!!  And look how big he is in general!!  How did all that fit into that little shell???

Look at those beautiful wings now!!  They are so pretty and translucent green.

Cicada to the left of the tire, shell to the right (here I am, stuck in the middle with Eli and Hope!  Lol!!)

I think Cicadas are just so cool!!  I love their buzzing and finding their skins stuck to almost every surface imaginable.

Eli holding his new buddy.  :-)