Cicada's

This morning on my walk the pine trees had about 100 Cicada shells on them, they must have come out over night. When the kids came home from school we walked down to the tree to pick some shells. Plus I knew they, Nathan, would enjoy seeing all of the shells. They had fun running from tree to tree picking shells from the trees. there was one cicada that was unable to get out before it's body hardened and it died half out of the shell. Then there was one half hanging out of the shell that we all thought was dead, so I pulled it off the tree and went to put it into Nathan's container. As I went to drop it in it's legs were moving, we watched it fall out of the shell and then it proceeded to try to climb. It must be an instinct to keep climbing regardless. The poor thing came and lived with us for a day then we released it. They are ugly things when the emerge from their shell and soft. The air must harden their bodies and wings. It was fun for us all to see the life cycle of Cicada.

The newborn The one that didn't make it...