The internet has allowed us to see things that our ancestors could never have imagined, such as the daily lives of people on the opposite side of the world.
The fast growth of knowledge sharing and mass media means we can always learn new things and broaden our horizons. The internet has shown me amazing animals and insects that seem otherworldly.
I consider myself quite knowledgeable about nature, but I must admit that when I came across a picture of a creature that an Australian woman claimed to have found in her backyard, I immediately thought it was fake.
And I wasn’t alone…
According to reports, the homeowner in question turned to social media after discovering something interesting. She asked online users to assist her in identifying what she had found nestled against a hedge in her backyard in Sydney, Australia.
The strange bug, with eyes that are pink and black and appear as if a playful three-year-old in kindergarten stuck them on, is actually quite common in that area during this season, so there’s no reason to worry.
Naturally, the woman who discovered the specimen and many Facebook users who viewed her post didn’t realize this right away.
“Does anyone know what this strange little creature is?” She inquired…
“I seriously thought you stuck googly eyes on a weirdly shaped stocking,”. In the comments, a neighbor gave their response
“That is the cutest thing I have ever seen,” someone else mentioned..
Andrew Mitchell, an insect expert at the Australian Museum, verified to Yahoo News Australia that the animal is a hawkmoth caterpillar.
“It is most often found on vines, including grape vines, and they are quite common, especially around this time of year — late summer to early autumn,” he said.
“This species has quite a wide distribution, from the Kimberley region (in WA) eastwards along the coastal strip all the way to Cape York (in Queensland) and then south to Sydney.”
Reports say the insect is brown to hide from predators, and their eyes scare away potential threats.
The caterpillars don’t bite or sting, but they might release a green liquid if they get disturbed.
“When threatened they puff up the front of their body, raise it into the air, suck the head in a bit, and can look quite convincingly like a snake when viewed front on — some species even hiss and strike at you,” Mitchell added. “But they’re completely harmless of course.”
If you reside in any of the places listed in Australia and come across one of these “googly-eyed” creatures in your garden, there’s no need to worry!
Have you witnessed anything similar to this before? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
