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[beast786]

A caterpillar in Costa Rica uses a unique disguise to ward off predators and the costume is quite striking, as is its response should it be approached.

The caterpillar cleverly camouflages itself as a slithering snake and comes with a head that looks like a snake. The snake caterpillar, in its larval state before becoming a moth, will also strike harmlessly if approached, just as a snake would, with the exception of a potential bite.

According to Caters News Agency, the bug creates the illusion of looking like a dangerous reptile by expanding parts at the end of its body.

Daniel Janzen, a professor of biology at the University of Pennsylvania, took the photos you see here while cataloguing caterpillars in the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Caters News Agency released the photos on Tuesday.
http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/nature/post/caterpillar-appears-snake-camouflage/

One step closer to crocoduck

 

[SniperHunter]

amazing!

 

[Mobius 1]

 

[Witchfinder General]

That is amazing. Nature never ceases to astonish me.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Wild.

 

[789shadow]

And on the 6th day, God said "Hey, get a load of this shit."

 

[MartyStu]

That is terrifying. It is times like this that I am a lot less skeptical of the existence of an intelligent designer...

 

[Don't Laugh]

the resemblance is uncanny

 

[Laieon]

Maybe it's actually a snake that wants to trick people into thinking it's a caterpillar.

 

[manual4]

oh god...that would be scary as hell. i would not want to live anywhere where those thing are

 

[Team Top Hat]

 

[Phoenix]

Nature never ceases to amaze. The biggest question I have is - how do you evolve THAT characteristic?

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

The hell? The head looks exactly like a snake. That's some scary ish.

 

[Toa TAK]

Nature never ceases to amaze. The biggest question I have is - how do you evolve THAT characteristic?

That's my first thought.

How scary are snakes that other animals develop body to mimic them?

 

[Dead Prince]

its got a penis shaped snake head.

 

[OnionPowder]

How does something like this even happen?

The snake caterpillar, in its larval state before becoming a moth, will also strike harmlessly if approached, just as a snake would, with the exception of a potential bite.

How?!

 

[Hypemaster]

That camouflage 10/10. Would fool me again.

 

[BumRush]

Nature...

 

[Korosenai]

Caterpillars are evolving into snakes confirmed.

I for one welcome our new flying snake overlords.

 

[Siegcram]

Damn, well done nature.

 

[Violater]

I don't believe it, seriously...how?
That moth must be terrifying....

 

[Graphics Horse]

How does something like this even happen?



How?!

Probably just flips onto its back, its head needs to be upside down to look like a snake.

 

[Tesseract]

that's a great piece of code

 

[Host Samurai]

Caterpillars are fucking disgusting. The snake is much less frighting to me. I hate bug like creatures with hundreds of legs.

 

[charsace]

That's my first thought.

How scary are snakes that other animals develop body to mimic them?

Real scary. Kids fear them naturally. Its like our genes story the memory of what a snake is and what it can do. That's how scary the fuckers are.

 

[thenexus6]

Why can't humans do cool shit like this?

 

[impetuous_silly]

Caterpillars are fucking disgusting. The snake is much less frighting to me. I hate bug like creatures with hundreds of legs.

Caterpillars only have 6 (true) legs. They're insects after all.

 

[Daniel Jackson]

Animals looking like other things/animals for camouflage... this is exactly the thing I do not understand about evolution.
Evolution occurs in small steps. How did this caterpillar 'know' how to take all the right steps to end up looking like this?

 

[∀ Narayan]

that's a great piece of code

Indeed.

Why can't humans do cool shit like this?

We do plenty of cool shit already.

 

[cajunator]

Ive seen this in a magazine a looooong time ago. Always been fascinated with natural mimickry.
I saw this moth at Lowes that resembles a wasp

 

[Tathanen]

Ive seen this in a magazine a looooong time ago.

Yeah, I've seen this exact thing in like 1988 in Ranger Rick or something.

 

[Frodo]

Oh wow! This is right there with the Cuttlefish in levels of awesomeness.

 

[cajunator]

Yeah, I've seen this exact thing in like 1988 in Ranger Rick or something.

Yes I think that was it! Lol.
Wow someone else remembers that magazine. Im impressed.

 

[WeAreStarStuff]

Nature is amazing.

 

[sankt-Antonio]

Animals looking like other things/animals for camouflage... this is exactly the thing I do not understand about evolution.
Evolution occurs in small steps. How did this caterpillar 'know' how to take all the right steps to end up looking like this?

He did not. It's just that the catapult with this mutation happened to not be eaten as much. Therefore he was able to pass his mutation on. Pure luck and it takes a crap load of time. It's pure coincidence that his mutation looks like a snake.

I for one am not amazed.

 

[Chairhome]

how do we know OP is not a snake, posting fake news to get our guards down?

 

[Drencrom]

Natural selection is some crazy shit

 

[speculawyer]

Evolution is smarter than you.

 

[TS-08]

Predators hate him.

 

[Wilsongt]

...Nooooooooooooooooope.

 

[Borgnine]

Gaborn would love this.

 

[Derwind]

Nature never ceases to amaze. The biggest question I have is - how do you evolve THAT characteristic?

Probably the caterpillars that more resembled a snake detered more predators on average and survived to pass on those unique genes until we have sonething like this.

I can't wait for the caterpillar with a human head. Gun be good.

 

[Wilsongt]

Gaborn would love this.

My world feels less penetrated now.

 

[Barkley's Justice]

holy shit.

 

[CoolOff]

 

[thesuperfunk]

Shit is amazing!

 

[Aurongel]

It seems so crazy that evolution can produce something this refined and accurate to what a snake actually looks like.

 

[DJwest]

Caterpillars are evolving into snakes confirmed.

I for one welcome our new flying snake overlords.

Fuck no. And pls no one should post that terrifying gif

 

[UraMallas]

And on the 6th day, God said "Hey, get a load of this shit."

This is one of my favorite replies ever. I'm serious, I loled.

EDIT:

that's a great piece of code

This is also pretty great.

 

[eudaemonic]

Oh wow! This is right there with the Cuttlefish in levels of awesomeness.

Cuttlefish are FARRRRR superior.