During the Night

Wonderful things happen in Ethan and Aaron's
jars during the night, but it's hard to take clear
photos through the plastic sides.

Instead, Daddy goes outside several times as
the boys take their baths, get ready for bed, and
try to fall asleep. Here is what he finds:

8:32 p.m.
If you look closely, you'll see that the skin on
the nymph's back has just split open. The
adult cicada is pushing out through the crack.

8:37 p.m.

8:41 p.m.
See the adult cicada's head?

8:47 p.m.

8:56 p.m.
See the adult's legs and tiny wings?

9:13 p.m.
The wings inflate, like tiny water balloons.
(They feel soft and wet.)

9:20 p.m.*

9:31 p.m.

10:07 p.m.

11:02 p.m.
The adult's body gets darker and harder
as it dries, and the wings get stiffer.

11:27 p.m.
Time to leave the old skin behind.

Still 11:27 p.m.
The adult cicada crawls three feet farther up our
elm tree before the next picture.

               11:30 p.m.
Five minutes later Daddy can no longer find the adult.
Ethan and Aaron find the nymph's shed skin the next
morning.

* Daddy missed taking a picture of the "9:20" stage
tonight, so this photo is of another cicada.

See the above photos with times but no text.

NEXT: See what the boys do the next morning

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Cicada Hunt! is part of the Salt the Sandbox Web.
For more information visit the Salt the Sandbox home page.

This page was created on August 26, 2000, and it was last updated on July 27, 2002.