I Hope This Doesn't Bug You

You guys already know I'm not a normal person.

So you'll understand when I say that I had an absolutely phenomenal experience today.

I watched a cicada metamorphosis, and I took pictures of it.

This is what I consider fabulous.

Also, this. Oooohh.

I went outside and saw a little brown cicada clinging to the side of my house. At first glance I thought it was just an empty exoskeleton, but then I realized it had little black eyes. And a few minutes later I noticed that it had split. Metamorphosis had begun.

It took me a little while to figure out the best way to photograph
the little guy, so the pictures get better as they go on.

First his little eyes popped out.

Ta-daaa!

Then he started making tiny wiggles, working his much larger new body out of its shell.

Dis is hard work.

He gradually worked his legs free.

Two down, four to go.

Aside: Yes, this entire post is nothing but pictures of a cicada emerging from its exoskeleton. Just saying.

Then his tiny little wings appeared, wet and wilted.

You expect me to dive-bomb the neighborhood with these things?

I think I can, I think I can...

I really loved watching this.

So pretty.

I hope he didn't mind me being there too much.

Oh, hai.

My God, this is amazing.

I mean, it is, right?

After a while, his wings dried out and became beautiful.

Look what I made!

So beautiful.

With the light shining through them and whatnot.

Then he detached himself from the lifeless husk of his former existence, leaving it behind forever.

I shall add it to my collection.

Rather adorably, he landed on his back, tangled with a small stick.

Dis is my stick, and I love it.

So I helped him by flipping him onto his feet, and he carefully took his first steps.

Bitch, I am working this look.

Then he climbed up to perch himself on the wall so that he could rest up from his transformative experience and get ready to start his new life as a fully-grown cicada.

You'll be hearing me and several thousand of my friends
all summer!

Oh yeah, also I saw a 50th anniversary screening of A Hard Day's Night and won a limited-edition movie poster and spent a wonderful afternoon with my best fella. Good stuff.

Still, I really got a kick out of this cicada.