The moult of a cicada

21 January 2014, 8:30pm,Transit Beach (Fiordland)
A cicada nymph climbs onto a tree trunk, where it moults.
A winged adult cicada takes just over two hours to break out of its nymph skin and unfold its wings.
Once the adult has flown off, the empty skin (exuvia) is left on the tree.

These photographs were taken during a nine-day trip from the Milford Track to Anita Bay, via MacKay Creek and the Transit River. Click here to see more photographs from this trip.

8:38pm A cicada nymph climbs up a tree, ready to moult
fauna fiordland new zealand tramping transit beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph mackay transit 861
8:39pm
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 864
9:48pm A crack has opened in the back of the nymph skin, and the cicada is breaking out
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 916
9:49pm A view from above
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 917
9:55pm The wings start spreading out from the body. But notice how the purple edges are visibly folded
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 928
9:57pm The wings are spreading out further, and the anterior legs unfold
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 933
10:02pm More leg movement
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 941
10:15pm A few more body segments have come out
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 947
10:26pm Much of the same. Must be hard work!
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 956
10:28pm Very slowly, the wings are statrting to unfold
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 959
10:31pm A different angle
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 963
10:36pm The cicada is now completely out of the nymph skin, and is stsnding on it. The unfolding of the wings now begins in ernest
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph MacKay Transit 964
10:38pm The wing tips have now reached the back of the abdomen. Notice also how, for the first time, you can see through the wings
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting MacKay Transit 970
10:39pm Wings have unfolded further
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting MacKay Transit 972
10:40pm View from a different angle
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting MacKay Transit 973
10:41pm
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting MacKay Transit 975
10:42pm The wings now stretch well beyond the abdomen
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting MacKay Transit 977
10:45pm The wings are now longer than the body
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting MacKay Transit 981
10:48pm
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting MacKay Transit 982
10:50pm The wings are now fully stretched
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting MacKay Transit 983
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting MacKay Transit 989
10:54pm The cicada is ready to fly
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting MacKay Transit 990
An empty nymph skin (exuvia)
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada exuvia hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph skin MacKay Transit 925
Empty nymph skin (exuvia)
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada exuvia hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph skin MacKay Transit 979
Empty nymph skin (exuvia)
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada exuvia hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph nymph skin MacKay Transit 980
Empty nymph skin (exuvia)
Fauna Fiordland New Zealand Tramping Transit Beach cicada exuvia hatching insect kihikihi moult moulting nymph skin MacKay Transit 926