Caitlin Henderson's Image

Caitlin Henderson (Australia) finds an unexpected guest on her balcony as a possum snacks on a large cicada.

‘There were heads here, wings there,’ Caitlin says. The kitchen lights had lured insects, most of which had ended up in pieces. That evening Caitlin peeked out to spot the culprit - a common brushtail possum - sitting on the windowsill.

At that moment a large northern greengrocer cicada landed. The possum darted forward, grabbed it, then retreated with its prize. In the midst of the action, the possum was there just long enough for Caitlin to spot the foot of a baby poking out of its pouch.

Quick reactions allowed Caitlin to photograph the brief moment that all three creatures were visible, her wide-angle view telling the story. As soon as its meal was munched, the possum climbed up to hide in the rafters.

This nocturnal marsupial, native to Australia, is widespread and locally abundant. Its long, sharp claws are made for life in the trees, but it has readily adapted to the urban environment, often living in roof spaces, resulting in conflicts with humans.