THE MOLTING PROCESS: What’s that in the Madagascar hissing cockroach tank? Is that an albino cockroach? No, it’s a cockroach that just molted. Molting is a crucial process for arthropods, as it lets them shed their old exoskeleton for a newer, bigger one. Before molting, this Madagascar hissing cockroach stopped eating, lay still, and took in a big puff of air. He then used the air to push against his old exoskeleton until it cracked open, and then pushed himself out of the opening. Out he burst with a new, white, but very soft, exoskeleton. He will then spend the next few days using more air to puff up the skeleton until it expands to its new size. Then it will harden and his coloring will return. Molting is a very dangerous process for arthropods that can easily lead to death, whether by predation, getting stuck, or a chemical error going wrong. Congratulations to you, little hissing cockroach, for getting through a very tough trial!

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