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Watering in the garden and came across this bug emerging from its old skin ...
was a brilliant orange....





Not sure what was going on here - the bug walked away from its shell, turned around and came back and squatted with its nose touching the nose of the shell .. almost as though saying goodbye, but I know that it wasn't....



Hardening up, the bug lost all of the brilliant colouration it had when newly emerged - went back out this morning to see if I could find it, but it was gone

maybe it got homesick?

great capture

nice series of images, very documentary like. The colour change from the shell to the 'newborn' insect is incredible, what does he/she do for wings now? maybe its trying to figure out how to get off the leaf

Great shots Rel.
I think this is the first time I have seen you call a bug "a bug". Much closer to my level of comprehension.

Great set! I love the last few with the homesick bug nose to nose.

Great shots, as usual, Rel. Looks like a leafhopper to me - and indeed a true bug (scientific term not laymans).

Gerry, the bug is now an adult and has wings (as part of this final moult).

You are a patient girl arn't you Rel.
Very nice series.

Much closer to my level of comprehension

Gerry, the bug is now an adult and has wings (as part of this final moult).

I believe you but for the life of me I can't pick where those wings are on it, its pretty amazing how they are able to shed their shell/skin and wings then within a short period of time be on their way again...ain't nature amazing...

...... great series Rel...... hope it escaped before a bird came along

biggerry wrote:I believe you but for the life of me I can't pick where those wings are on it, its pretty amazing how they are able to shed their shell/skin and wings then within a short period of time be on their way again...ain't nature amazing...

The wings are most noticeable in the first shot while they are being pumped up with air. You can still see the veins in the later shots. Leafhoppers are related to cicadas and you can see the resemblance in the shots. If you ever watched the nymphs of cicadas emerge the ground and go through their final moult you would have seen the how the wings take shape. Only the adults have wings and they only "get them" as part of the final moult - although previous stages the early stages of the wings are usually visible.

Great series Rel, I like the shot where it has turned around as if to say good back old me. Is there a reason behind the brilliant colour as it "emerges", just it seems like unless the colour scares aways predators, its like painting a bit sign on my back saying, I'm fresh, juicey and for a limited time only without my hardened exoskeleton. Seems odd.

What a fantastic sequence of images! I really like the dark background of the first one, it makes the bright bug really "pop" out of the photo.