The world is amazing and keeps surprising us, even though many think we’ve seen and explored everything.
The internet lets us know about things our ancestors couldn’t. For instance, we can learn about what people on the other side of the world are doing every day.
Because we share knowledge quickly and have lots of media, we can always learn new things and broaden our understanding. The internet has shown me many amazing things I wouldn’t have seen otherwise, like animals and insects that seem really strange.
I usually think I know a lot about nature, but when I saw a picture of a creature an Australian woman said she found in her backyard, I thought it must be fake right away.
I wasn’t alone in thinking that…
According to reports, the homeowner posted on social media after finding something unusual in her backyard in Sydney, Australia, asking people online to help her figure out what it was.
The strange insect, with eyes that look like they were put on by a young child, is actually seen quite often in that area during this season, so there’s no need to worry.
The woman who found the insect in the picture didn’t know what it was, and neither did many of the people who saw her post on Facebook. She asked.
“Can anyone tell me what this weird little creature is?”
One neighbor commented, “I really thought you put fake eyes on a strange-shaped sock.
Another person said, “That’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”
Andrew Mitchell, who studies insects at the Australian Museum, told Yahoo News Australia that the creature is a kind of caterpillar called a hawkmoth caterpillar.
He said, “They’re usually seen on vines, like grape vines, and they’re pretty common, especially during late summer and early autumn.”
“This type of insect can be found in many places, from the Kimberley region in Western Australia all the way along the coast to Cape York in Queensland, and then down to Sydney.”
Reports say that these insects have brown color to hide from predators, and their eyes help scare away anything that might want to eat them.
The caterpillars don’t bite or sting, but they might release green liquid if they’re bothered.
“When they feel threatened, they puff up their front body, lift it up, tuck their head in a bit, and can look like a snake when seen from the front. Some types even make hissing sounds and pretend to strike at you,” Mitchell explained. “But they’re harmless, of course.”
If you live in the areas mentioned in Australia and spot one of these creatures with big eyes in your yard, don’t worry!