A Brood X cicada had just emerged from it's shell. It seemed to be touching the shell in a farewell gesture - having spent the first 17 years of it's life in the prior stage, it was drying its wings and getting ready to move on to the next stage of life. This photo is in a narrow landscape panorama format. This photo was selected for the juried Meadowlark Photo Nature Expo in 2006. Each of the expo sponsors picks a sponsor's choice of what they believe is the best in show. This photo was selected as Kodak's Sponsor's choice.