Movie 2

(1) Self-dropping reflex after a simulated attack for insects ascending a cardboard sheet, shown at 5x reduced speed (original video filmed at 500 fps). A compressed cylinder of paper towel (diameter ~5 mm) was held against the insect's tibial and tarsal segments for a haphazardly chosen leg, thus pinning it against the substrate for ~20 ms without causing apparent injury.
(2) Self-dropping reflex in an E. tiaratum nymph following contact with a Teflon-coated surface. This sudden loss of foothold was used as a proxy for environmental perturbations.
(3) Representative trials of jumping behavior used to cross gaps. Experimental insects were first released at the bottom of the vertical rod, and then ascended to the platform.