exuvia

Roundhouse Orchard Wildflower Meadow Pond

An exuvia (plural exuviae) is the cast-off outer skin of an arthropod after a moult. In some species the exuvia is eaten soon after the moult although in other species it is left. For example, the exuviae of cicadas can often been seen on the surface of trees. In summer, it's often possible to see exuvia of dragonflies on plant stems near the water's edge.