While we as humans continue to try (and fail) to live in peace and harmony, it is worth remembering that the world around us is a brutal, unforgiving place.
We have tamed our lives to such an extent that it is easy to turn a blind eye to the horrors of nature, sure, we as a species are far more damaging to our planet than all others put together, but let's not pretend that it's all sweetness and light out there!
This list, compiled by Bored Panda, is a reminder that we live in a scary world. Some of these things are simply wonders of nature that we may not like the look of, like spiders and centipedes. Some show the raw power of the elements, while others illustrate the horrific things that other creatures to do each other in order to survive. All of these things are awe-inspiring examples of nature, something not to be feared, but to be respected. Scroll down below to check them out for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
This post may include affiliate links.
Wrap Around Spider, Named For Its Ability To Flatten And Wrap Its Body Around Tree Limbs
Spiderbro Guarding Me From Malaria Outside My Window
I love "pet" spiders, as I call them. They live in one corner of your apartment, feed on insects and sometimes climb down to investigate your belongings. If I happen to become roommates with one, I always make a point to leave some water for it to drink, if it needs it. My favourite spider of this kind used to live in my mom's bedroom. It only had 5 legs and we named it Oggie. The tiny spider loved to crawl on my mom's sketches(she's an engineer) and kept her company. I was 5 at the time and it was one of the first examples of invertebrates' personalities I was to see.
This is lovely! ❤ Btw, I have "pet" spiders too☺
Load More Replies...
SpiderBRO! wow.. such a nice way to put it, instead of Spider-Man or something!
I had a spider lived in the greenhouse/conservatory ouside the back door - it was quite big and I would put dead flies on its web every day - it got bigger and fatter and then gave birth. The thousands of microscopic spiderlings creeped me out
Spiders are fully capable of catching their own food and should be let to do so. Like dogs defend us and cats catch mice, spiders help us out with small unwelcome insects like mosquitoes. Well, when their kids show up are a completely another story...😳
Load More Replies...
aw like the kitchen spider I had a few summers ago when we had a cat, his food was a fly magnet and despite our best efforts some flies still managed to find there way in. Queue the arrival of kitchen spider and our fly problem was halved. Although kitchen spider was a messy eater and I spent a lot of time having to wipe the door frame under where he lived.
I have pet spiders too and they live in the corner of each room- I don't disturb them and they don't disturb me. We live in the countryside and horse flies are a massive nuisance but my lovely 'pets' keep my house from being over run. I hate that people scream and kill spiders when the little ones in the UK never hurt you. They are our friends not enemies. Flies are the danger and enemy!
Aw, come on! I only screamed once and fled out the front door. The spider was as large as my hand with a body the size of a pink eraser. I don't try to kill them but I can't sleep if one is in the room. They have a wicked sense of humor and run across my face. At least the Palmettos snuggle within the curved fingers of my hand when I am sleeping. Neither bite, but I always wake up terrified.
Load More Replies...
When I was a kid I used to catch insects to feed the spiders in some of our corners. This fella though needs no help at all!
I have a spider who hangs out in my shower right over my head - but only when I'm showering. Any other time if I go to see what he's up to I can't find him. But often (not always) when I'm showering he's right there. His name is Apollo.
How about this cutie? https://me.me/i/please-love-me-i-bringed-you-a-fly-spider-bro-19606667
It's more likely a spider gal. In most spider species, the females are larger, and the males are sometimes so tiny they're hard to see.
I had a friend who's family is from Cambodia. She told me that killing a spider in your home brings bad luck. From then on my husband and I capture and release them.
I don't care how many flies and mozies spiders eat, I still don't trust em!
Black widow spiders can catch wasps in their webs. My house was one huge wasp colony. It cost way too much to hire an exterminator so I "hired" the spiders. I also hired mice to clean up wasps that had died and fell to the floor after being burned from the ceiling light. Hundreds died every day and their little corpses were thick on the floor. By morning they'd all be gone except for their wings, which were easy to remove..
I have a pet spider, he lives outside and always takes his web down in the morning. When my bf accidentally walked into his web, he is like no problemo and builds it higher the next time. I love this little guy
There are at least two spiders in my bedroom right now and they don't leave because whenever I watch a tiny dead insect, a mosquito mostly, I'd drop it on their web. I usually study till late at night, so there's always a lot of tiny insects buzzing around my lamp, and the spiders would hep me get rid of them...
Patrol spiders, they are pest control have a few in windows they catch any insects that come in or try to get out I sweep the remains away and sometimes put insects in their webs they will drink water if provided usually if a male,love will lure them from their home
Although I don't like them, I'd never hurt them. I had one big fat one in my balcony a few years back, in another apartment. I said hi every day and thanked it for keeping so many bugs out.
I had a "pet" spider who built a web on my porch tomato plant. At night she would climb off her web and sleep in a curled tomato leaf, like a cradle. She stayed all summer. I miss her!
Okay, I approve of this spider. She's energetic and obviously very good at her job. & outside, right?
This right here is exactly why I keep spiders around. Mosquitos are horrible where I live and spiders are damn good at helping to thin the herd.
Wish I could tolerate them, but, nuh-unh for me. Live well, spider, but stay outta my sight and we're fine.
Ive got severe arachnophobia but i do know they can be useful... I always grab em with this smart insect grabbing device and frees them in the stable. Lots of bugs nd flies and theyre away from me!
Sort of counters the contention at the beginning of this article that "that the world around us is a brutal, unforgiving place." Such a hard perspective is just one way of looking at life.
I have whole colony of spiders living in corners of my apartment, close to window. Thanks to that, any anoying insect is catched and eating in matter of minutes after flying inside the appartment :)
Sweet Jesus! Where IS this? (so I can scratch it off my list of places to visit) Many thanks to the spider tho...
I don't really care for spiders, but I understand how necessary they are. They keep pests out of your house and garden, so they are a good room mate to have.
Jesus christ! That's a lot of mozzies! I'm getting itchy just looking at them.
You'd think that web would be obsolete, since its pretty visible with all its food stuck in it.
H b HB g Bibin htv rcx Edwards re fff ft games online hgodine ft i. Okomili iibiini iiniiininiiiihij.š i on i bi iin i žrtve te tir limn ninit drr poklon im. H
Seaweed In The Waves
Xylaria Polymorpha, Commonly Known As Dead Man's Fingers, Is A Saprobic Fungus
A Firefly Kept Right On Flashing After Being Eaten By A Frog
This Frog Was Found All Dried Up And Withered Outside The Store In The Morning... The Store Manager Said, "Let's Try Splashing Some Water On It," And Holy Sh*t It Came Back To Life
Something similar happened to me once, but well, the other way round. I was on a sea holiday and came upon a large blue dragonfly, drowned in the sea. Now, I was saddened for the poor thing, but also ecstatic, for I have a collection of pinned insects, all of which were found dead, for I just can't bring myself to kill alive ones for the purpose. I carried it around in my palm, wondering where exactly was I to put it, for I didn't have any other dragonflies and the thing was huge. Suddenly, it moved! A second later, again! It became progressively more active, until it could stand on its legs and turn his head around in curiosity! I separated its wings carefully(they stuck to each other from the salty water) and it shook itself a little. I left it cleaning itself on an oak on a quiet path and I do hope it recovered completely. :)
The Skeleton Of A Puffer Fish Is Pretty Metal
Damn Nature, You Scary...
A planting enthusiast wasn’t scared of anything, but when they found a skull of a 50 year old oojomaku breed, their life changed.
Rome Yesterday
My Mum's Toilet After A Recent Flood
I actually think those frogs are cute. Not the best place to find them, but not terrifying.
Snapdragon Seed Pods Look Like Skulls
Well, This is nature being nature! Fully of mystery and creativity!
Those Fishes Are Literally Lit
The Eyes And Teeth Of A Scallop
This Is A Hammerhead Bat And Is By Far The Creepiest Animal I've Seen
My Gecko Ate His Tail
This Is Why You Always Have To Check The Toilet In Australia
That's a long pile of s**t! Someone is eating too much fibres!
These Plants Look Like Tiny Hands
The Clathrus Archeri Fungus Resembles Some Pretty Metal Tentacles Sprouting From An Alien Egg When It Blooms
I have watched too many alien movies which have gutted my mind to point that I refuse to believe its a plant! Fck me, I am running from here and calling ARMY, NAVY or fckng SWAT team.
Currently Renovating Our Floors. Seems Everyone Has Come Out Of Hiding
That was in your house and you just chilled and took a picture of it. Your bravery has no end
All I Know Is That It Needs To Burn
I feel quite sorry for them really as they're just trying not to drown
Deer Skull After Sitting In Water For Over A Year
The Frog That Caught A Spider
...that wriggled and wriggled and jiggled inside her. She swallowed the spider to catch the fly. I don't know why she swallowed the fly, perhaps she'll die.
A Leopard Seal Peering Through A Veil Of Plankton
Acid Spitting Ants
Articulated Cobra Skeleton
Wow, whoever put it together, must be having most non-shaking hands in the world.
Black Swallower Died Trying To Eat A Fish 4 Times Its Size
The Statue Being Swallowed By A Tree
Once upon a time there was a man who did very bad things. The emperor turned him into a statue and trapped him in a tree. If he's freed the whole world is doomed. I made up this story
A Lizard Eating A Cockroach Alive At My House Porch
My Dad Sent Me This Photo. Water Mocassin? Tennessee
Give a snake a fish an he'll eat it. Teach a snake to fish and he'll become the fishing rod.
Attack Of Legionary Ants (Also Known As Army Ants Or Marabunta) To A Wasp Honeycomb
Chameleon Mummified Alive By The Tropical Sun
The Inside Of A Gooses Mouth
Well, I knew they have teeth, but I didn't know they have some on the tongue as well!
This Snake Covered In Ticks
These New Fish Species Can Survive In Volcanoes And They’re The Stuff Of Nightmares
After A Weekend Storm In New England, A Puffer Fish Was Found In A Tree
The Lamprey Fish
A Mother Whip Spider Carrying Her Babies On Her Back
5-Legged Frog That Lives In The Marsh Behind Our Neighborhood
This Hornets Nest Looks Kind Of Like A Hornet’s Head
Dolphin Caught A Squid, Trailing The Ink Behind It
A Jungle Perch With A Surprise
Lavafall
This Spider Web That Looks Like A Spider-Man Mask
The Giant Isopod, Found In The Deep Seas And Is An Example Of Deep-Sea Gigantism
One Big Spider
Goliath Tiger Fish, Congo River
When you boss tells you a joke which isn't funny at all, but you gotta pretend its funny as heck!
Sweet Potato Creepily Resembles Human Heart
The Largest Scar You'll Ever See
Close Up Of Moth Outside My Window
Note: this post originally had 73 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Bored Panda please take note. We want more of this stuff and less of the Halle Berry yoga nonsense.
something flew in my ear whiilst scrolling lol
Load More Replies...
Please don't put anymore frozen animals on here. It makes my heart hurt.
Because I'm best friends with piper but after Jason's death she hasn't been the same
Load More Replies...
Just scrolled down to the comments, I didn't want to see the list after a few pics
anyone seen the picture of all those spiders in the tree after a flood or something a few years back?
These are informative, educational&facinating as well as entertaining...More please...
Would you rather have then in the evening before going to bed?
Load More Replies...
What is with all these animals frozen in water? Water does not freeze that quickly. Surely they must all have been dead (or nearly so) when it got below 0 (Celsius)?
some of them are frozen standing up - spose that what happens in minud 50 degrees - nature is wonderful but extreme and takes no prisoners
Load More Replies...
I liked the scary ones, but please stop with the frozen animals, they're sad not scary....
Bored Panda please take note. We want more of this stuff and less of the Halle Berry yoga nonsense.
something flew in my ear whiilst scrolling lol
Load More Replies... Please don't put anymore frozen animals on here. It makes my heart hurt.
Because I'm best friends with piper but after Jason's death she hasn't been the same
Load More Replies... Just scrolled down to the comments, I didn't want to see the list after a few pics
anyone seen the picture of all those spiders in the tree after a flood or something a few years back?
These are informative, educational&facinating as well as entertaining...More please...
Would you rather have then in the evening before going to bed?
Load More Replies... What is with all these animals frozen in water? Water does not freeze that quickly. Surely they must all have been dead (or nearly so) when it got below 0 (Celsius)?
some of them are frozen standing up - spose that what happens in minud 50 degrees - nature is wonderful but extreme and takes no prisoners
Load More Replies... I liked the scary ones, but please stop with the frozen animals, they're sad not scary....
