The thing Johnny is backing away from in that picture is the exoskeleton of a cicada (I think!). The exoskeleton is from when it was a nymph, and we found it next to this newly-emerged cicada:
He looks prettier in that picture than he did in real life… You can see the molting process on Wikipedia, if you’re curious (look to the right of the “Life Cycle section).
Lily thought the Cicada exoskeleton was pretty neat:
Johnny never got over the look of the bug, but Emma enjoyed looking at it through our magnifying glass, and even picked it up at the end.
I left all parental participation to Mike.
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
Your son’s face is cracking me up, especially after just reading the “bug phobia” title. What a cutie!
He did NOT like that bug!
Oh my goodness, that look on Johnny’s face is SO funny!!!
.-= Valerie @ FFFB´s last blog ..Pretend Car Wash =-.
We found 3 cicada exoskeletons on the tree in our front yard – and just like you, my husband took care of the exploration process! :)
I laughed looking at Johnny’s face. I doubt that a detailed study of any bug would go over well in our house for everyone involved :)
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..Dreambox Review =-.
Every summer, growing up, my brother and I would spend 2 weeks at my grandmother’s house. I remember the summer evenings listening to the cicadas and then finding their shells during the day. Thanks for bringing me back to that wonderful memory!
.-= Jen´s last blog ..The Mountains of New Mexico =-.
I love this Mary Anne! That picture of Johnny is funny:-). Hanna loves doing this with the cicadas in our yard. Joe hasn’t yet, so thank you for the reminder!
.-= Susana´s last blog ..Back to my sweet reality =-.
It’s a cicada (I know because someone else blogged about that for Science Sunday this week).We get em too.
And I’m amused because we both have the same magnifying glass.
.-= Ticia´s last blog ..Sea World! And I didn’t get sunburned =-.
This made me laugh SO MUCH! Johnny’s expression is priceless, and is a wonderful contrast to Lily’s delight.
.-= Elisa | blissfulE´s last blog ..the box room is no more =-.
Johnny looks just how I do when I see those things! When I was in about first grade there were tons of cicadas… to the point that kids riding bikes would use tennis rackets to bat them away. I hated leaving the house during that time. I’ve never seen anything like it again… but whenever I see the exoskeleton I get a little creeped out.
.-= Quadmama´s last blog ..Julia Roberts and I Think Alike =-.
I love Johnny’s comment :-) A couple of years ago my oldest found a dead bee outside the church building–she wrapped it up nicely in paper and gave it to her Sunday School teacher as a present. Fortunately the teacher had lots of experiences with little kids and responded well to the situation!
.-= Paula´s last blog ..Family Mission Statement =-.
How funny–we JUST carried around an identical exo-skeleton yesterday. It didn’t creep me out at all until we got back in the car to go home, and my daughter threw it into the front seat. Seeing it in that context made me jump and scream in a girly voice.
.-= Jaimie´s last blog ..Self Portrait Saturday 10- August 14th- 2010- The Reading Glasses Mean Serious Business =-.
I’ve never heard of these before – you have my curiosity though :) I would have done the same – left the parental participation w/ my husband – lol!
.-= Jackie @ 3 Little Ones´s last blog ..I Must Be Crazy =-.
You touched it!!! ACK! I’m LOL at Johnny’s face, too cute! Abby found one of those in the yard and ran inside and said she was never going out again. LOL!
.-= Our Nifty Notebook´s last blog ..Links I Like- 17th Edition =-.
Johnny’s face is hilarious!! That’s how I look when I find the sheddings of cicadas, too :) I love to hear them, hate to see them. They are creepy looking bugs!
.-= Amber Liddle´s last blog ..Retro Rockets Quilt =-.
@Amber – I agree!
Not like that bug.