Maybe some of you will smile at these photos! Some will be scared, or some will say yikes. For those who felt the last, I have something for you at the end to neutralize that response. Smile and have a nice day!
Are you deceived by its looks? Did your brain tell you it is a snake? I am sure it did at instance because that is what this creature is portraying in its fight for survival. Not many predators will eat a snake, do you agree?
But we are not its predators, so corrected our first response! I kept on touching it to see its response, but other than withdrawing the extension of the snout, it did not make any movement at all. Those eyes are not real eyes, they are there to scare its predators. Maybe evolution has to explain what happened in its past as a species, which eventually responded to the environment by producing those designs mimicking a snake head! I also wonder how many centuries passed before it got that strategy for survival.
This is an ordinary beetle, less than an inch in body length. I tell you it is not as alien-looking as this in real life. It even looked so pitiful because it cannot walk fast on the tiled floor. And it cannot fly either maybe because it banged its head several times looking for the opening to get out. After taking the shots i let it out of the window.
This is the promised neutralizer for those of you who did not want to look at the first two photos. This is a red plumbago.
.jpg)
Great photos Andrea.
ReplyDeleteAndrea,
ReplyDeleteCool caterpillar, thanks for sharing it!
thanks Randy, but do you know what this becomes? Is it also a sphinx moth?
DeleteThese macros are great.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post displaying the marvels of Nature.
ReplyDeleteSplendid looking animals - I would say they are neither scary or cute, but interesting!
ReplyDeleteYes, I have been to two Muslim countries in the last few months - I go where work sends me! I have to say its been very interesting - it shows how different two countries can be even though they share the same "label".
cheers - Stewart M - Australia
I totally agree with you Stewart about the animals and the countries. I've been to Dubai and Turkey, and there are also Muslim regions here in our country, and they are all very different. Ah yes there are also Malaysia and Indonesia, and the Muslims there are different too, as well as their ways of treating me, specially!
DeleteI got a rude shock when I opened your post :O I thought I was staring right at a snake. The red plumbago was a good antidote. Think of it, are there red plumbagos around?
ReplyDeleteHi Stiletto, i have a lot of red plumbago. I guess you don't see it more often there too. Here, maybe it is a bit rare too, as someone just contacted me to get some plants. He said he has searched the net thoroughly and found only me growing it. ...I am sorry about your "rude shock", it's good i did not put lots of photos in between before putting the antidote!
DeleteCool photos Andrea!!
ReplyDeleteI don't think he looks scary I think he looks kind of lost and slightly inquisitive.
ReplyDeleteMollyxxx
Actually the most scary animals are usually very beautiful and yes, even cute sometimes... :)
ReplyDeleteCertainly looked like a snake to me Andrea, and dare I say thrice times yikes!!!
ReplyDeleteVery cool and I thought maybe the first was a caterpillar that had fake eyes...
ReplyDeleteWow...great capture of natures little creatures! Yep...I thought it was a snake!
ReplyDeleteCalling by from Macro Monday, great compositions, amazing how different creatures can look in macro.
ReplyDeleteIt did look like a snake. I'm not scared of snakes, spiders are a lot more scary.
ReplyDeleteIncredible caterpillar! Never seen anything like that. What an amazing adaptation. Well captured.
ReplyDeleteThe first shot I thought the eyes were fake but the second shot I didn't seem so. I learned something here today. Very interesting post.
ReplyDeleteAmazing macros!
Those eyes had me fooled. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteDid you get a new camera?!!! These shots rock! You are so good getting them up close. I especially like the first 3. Go Andrea! Nice work!
ReplyDeleteInsects do tend to look odd when you get that close to them...
ReplyDeleteThe plumbago is beautiful! I don't think I have ever seen one before!!!