Water Stick Insect with shed skin (microcosmos.nl)

Microcosmos.nl: Water Stick Insect
On this picture the Water Stick Insect, which just had a molt, on the left. At right the shed skin or exoskeleton. The long breathing tube of the insect proves this was the last molt. As with every insect the Water Stick Insect is pale and weak after the molt and is not able to stand or walk on dry land. After a few hours the new skin has hardened and the colour is darker. The temporary weakness is necessary: in this way the insect may crawl out of its old skin and expand.

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