Just kidding — we like nature! 
This blog has focused disproportionately on bugs, or rather the bites the inflict, so I thought you might enjoy hearing about one of our more interesting insect encounters.
The kids were asleep one night last week, and Zach and I were enjoying an actual adult conversation. (Remember those? They’re nice!) As I was making an erudite observation, or perhaps drawing a breath before expounding upon my theories of the universe, I looked up and saw something.
“What is that?!?” I squawked.
We stared at it. From down on the sofa, it looked a little like a white bat. Or an alien. It was kind of gross. Maybe it was there to eat our faces?
Because I’m scientifically minded, I climbed up on a chair to try for a closer look. Also, I needed blog fodder, so I wanted to take a picture. I know how much our friends and families love to be grossed out!
We bandied about some theories as to just what the heck this thing was. Zach was sure pretty quickly that it was an insect, and for a few minutes we thought we had interrupted an intimate moment between two bugs. But why was the one we could see clearly so oogy? And why were they such different shapes? Was this an unholy union? And would one or both bugs seek bloody revenge for the interruptus? Only time — and a handy flashlight — would tell.
We continued our examination. The creature had grasshopper-like legs, but its wings were floppy and wet looking, and its body was shrimp-like. Finally, Zach had a brilliant insight. “It’s shedding!” he cried. I ran to the computer and started googling to confirm. And indeed, that was what we were witnessing. (You can witness it too!)
Unfortunately, all our pictures are from several feet away at an odd angle. But other people have gotten better shots. For example: here and here and here. This one is the most like what we saw. We continued to check in with our little friend for the next couple of hours. As we retired for the evening, he was eating his discarded skin. Bon appetit!
Speaking of eating, here’s a bonus pic for the squeamish. The kids and I saw this at the botanical garden the other day.
Even spiders have to eat, you know!
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What was that spider eating?!!! The grasshopper molting must have been fascinating! But eating its discarded shell? I guess that’s what would be described as “Nature in all its gory . . . I mean, glory!”
Ok, that’s just nasty. This blog confirms for me that I’m an affirmed city dweller. Or at least a desert dweller. I don’t think stuff like that survives out here.
how awesome, it’s like a grasshopper giving birth to itself