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Sometimes we get so used to dreamy landscapes and cute puppies that we forget about nature's dark side. But it's there. Regardless of whether we pay attention to it or not. To remind you about some of the Mother Earth's scariest 'children,' Bored Panda has compiled a list of photos that should send shivers down your spine. Or at least make you say a loud "NOPE." From half-dead spiders covered in fungus to mutated frogs with eyes growing in their mouth, consider viewing these images as a contest: if you can scroll to the very end, you win. The prize? Nightmares.

#1

What Do You Do When You See A Flying Fox In Your Backyard? (The Philippines)

What Do You Do When You See A Flying Fox In Your Backyard? (The Philippines)

No that isn't the camera angle, that is actually one big bat. The flying fox also called the fox bat are among the largest bats in the world with a wingspan of 5 feet (1.5 metres) and a head and body length of about 16 inches (40 centimeters). They are found on tropical islands and the mainland of Asia. As scary as they look, these gentle giants only eat fruit.

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#2

Haven't Cleaned Behind The Dresser In Months

Haven't Cleaned Behind The Dresser In Months

Did you know that some lizards lay eggs while some give live birth? That's right, while you will find lizard eggs of geckos, iguanas and monitor lizards, you won’t see blue tongue lizards, Solomon island lizards and shingle-back lizards laying eggs! They give birth to their live offspring.

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#3

Crazy Bird Tornado

Crazy Bird Tornado

This may look like a shot from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, but this eerie scene was created by none other than mother nature herself. A Reddit user posted the shot to the site's r/WTF thread and titled it "birdnado." The cluster is thought to be made up of starlings, a bird known for flying in thick flock formations called murmurations. These clusters reduce the amount of energy required during travel and protect them from predators. If starlings sense a shift in one part of the flock the entire pattern will shift.

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sharonchance avatar
diane1atk avatar
diane a
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5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They are wonderful to watch - and it has it's own sound. I used to live on the UK south coast, town with a pier. Starlings from many miles around used to congregate at dusk, up to 100,000 or more and put on this amazing display every evening. Imagine the sound of 100,000 pairs of wings flapping 50ft above your head in unison. It would last for maybe 20/30 minutes, then the ones from afar would head back home. Always disappointed when when they finished.

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Olivia G
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ha! Love that movie. Just pray whoever took this doesn't end up with their eyes gouged out...

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Max L.
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The radars are actually locked on a much more interesting target. The males of the crew follows the smell of a lady bird, that's why the shape of the cloud. Where the smell goes, they fly. As simple as that. As they say in Africa, there's much more torque in the smile of a lady than in a bull pulling a chariot, despite the geographical fame, the same concept is expressed way less romantically in Italy..

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diane a
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Video of Falcon not managing to catch a single starling in a murmuration of a couple of million. www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-mCuFYfJdI

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diane a
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here is a huge murmuration. peregrine vs 2 million starlings - prergrine loses , www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-mCuFYfJdI

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Mamia
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would LOVE to watch their murmuration for hours! Fascinating and lovely. I'd never say NOPE to this.

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Johanna-Nicollette Kidd
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Having seen this sort of 'flocking'on National Geographic I'm amazed, the pattern changes within seconds+I think it's facinating

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Mascha Claessens
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ahhhhw, awesome! That's the biggest flock I've ever seen. There's a flock of starlings around my house every evening, but I think that's a couple of thousands at most. This is a whole different caliber. :')

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WinterGlow
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here in Denmark we call that 'Black Sun', because they block the light from the sun

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Lynne Perry
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Eerie! Why eerie? Get a grip, it’s only formation flying, very mesmerising...

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Tim Douglass
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's what my vision looked like when I had my retinal separation.

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Landon Ream
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Breaking news who was the man who ate all the bread and caused this

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Nancy Baldauf
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I saw a mini-version of this near my home in NE Ohio. It gave me goosebumps.

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John Shannon
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, Starlings watch the 6 or 7 nearby for changes of direction.

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Kim Lorton
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When the starlings storm, you can see, just how much in tune they are with each other... very cool!

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Kryogen
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't be below that cloud, because the rain won't be made of water...

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Janice Seagraves
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've watched starlings landing and then rising in a cloud over the fields where I used to live.

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Kathleen Sisco
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, the earliest settlers in North America noted each spring tremendous streams of birds overhead. Course, we don't have them now.

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Caitlyn Johnston
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All American song birds used to be so plentiful they'd fly in flocks like this. The flocks could be a mile wide and 3 miles long. It's surprising they aren't on an endangered species list.

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Ryo Bakura
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Damn nature, you scary! What's that? You want me to stop saying the same thing? Well f**k you!

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DancingToMyself
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's not a "birnado", it's a shitstorm. But they are look cool on the photo.

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Andrea Delden
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love the word murmuration! Just saying it makes me think of the birds swooping through the sky!

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Marilyn Holt
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you ever have a chance to see this live--it is breath-taking!

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Zoe's Mom
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We get crows where I live in hoards; nothing like the picture, but it can be haunting and beautiful at the same time.

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Nikki D
Community Member
5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a love/hate relationship with starlings. They are too noisy and Chase away all the songbirds from my feeders. But, I have seen them play by swinging down the pole and sliding down our roof.

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Christina Sersif
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wouldn't want to be anywhere under this birdnado. Can you imagine the poop storm!!??

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Janine B.
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Starlings are cute and smart. But sometimes you need an umbrella when they come in such large formations. ^^

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Eric Lambrecht
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

wow! They are in the shape of a bird too! Look at the bottom and unblur the picture in your mind

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glowworm2
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They thought they could keep their cars clean today. They were horribly horribly wrong."S**t Storm" Coming soon to a theater near you.

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#4

Toads Riding On A Python

Toads Riding On A Python

68mm just fell in the last hour at Kununurra. Flushed all the cane toads out of my brothers dam. Some of them took the easy way out - hitching a ride on the back of a 3.5m python.

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Vlad Horobet
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Aaaand to break the news: the toads don't ride the python as in free public transport, they "ride" it as in they're horny af and they're humping the danger noodle. They are trying to mate with the nope rope.

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#5

Believe It Or Not, This Is One Of The Least Dangerous Spiders We Have In Australia

Believe It Or Not, This Is One Of The Least Dangerous Spiders We Have In Australia

This is the huntsman spider, a common friend to be found in houses and garden across Australia. He's harmless really, don't let his large size intimidate you. Huntsmen won't bite humans unless provoked, are not venomous and are actually handy to have around the place, he'll use his speed and agility to keep your cockroach population under control.
Think of the huntsman as a handy pet. Respect his space, let him do his job and he'll look after you well.

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#6

Birds Using A Dead Pike's Mouth To Nest

Birds Using A Dead Pike's Mouth To Nest

Pike fish are freshwater fish known as ambush predators because of their ability to lie perfectly still for an impressive amount of time, thankfully for these birds this pike is out of water so it's safe to say it's actually dead.

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Ozacoter
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe it works as a defense mechanism, the head might scare predators.

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#7

I Want To Ride My Bicycle

I Want To Ride My Bicycle

Did you know that bees swarm when when the queen bee leaves the colony with a large group of worker bees? It's how a new honey bee colony is formed. In the prime swarm, about 60% of the worker bees leave the original hive location with the old queen. This swarm can contain thousands to tens of thousands of bees. Usually, swarming takes place in spring, within a two- or three-week period, but occasional swarms can happen throughout the producing season as well.

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#8

There Was A Friggin Gecko Hiding In My Son's Toy Spider

There Was A Friggin Gecko Hiding In My Son's Toy Spider

Geckos are reptiles found in all parts of the world except for Antartica. To avoid predators they have developed special features such as camouflage to help them hide in any environment (even a toy spider). Most geckos are nocturnal creatures which means they are active at night, but there are day geckos which are willing to venture out during the daylight hours in search of food.

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#9

My Town In Central Texas Has A Bird Problem

My Town In Central Texas Has A Bird Problem

Every autumn, flocks of birds migrate to warmer territories. Most birds migrate at night (when the air is cooler and calmer, and there are fewer predators), flying in tandem even when they are 655 feet (200 meters) or more apart. Some of them, however, can be spotted during the daytime as well.

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#10

Sawfish

Sawfish

Sawfishes are large rays that are characterized by their long blade-like snouts. Along this elongated snout are lateral tooth-like denticles set inside sockets - which give the allusion of a giant chainsaw. Sawfishes use their "saw" (rostrum) during feeding time and to defend themselves. The rostrum will slash in a side-to-side motion and dislodge invertebrates from the substrate to stun fish.

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#11

Lizard Shed His Entire Face In One Go

Lizard Shed His Entire Face In One Go

If you want to peel of the skin from your pet lizard's head, you should try to take it off in one piece, and you want to make sure that it's 'released' around the ears. Also, be extra careful around the eyes.

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andreavilarmelego avatar
Ozacoter
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thats fascinating. I have a few animal sheds in my 'biology collection' at home

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#12

Mother And Girlfriend Found This On The Beach Today. Any Idea What It Is?

Mother And Girlfriend Found This On The Beach Today. Any Idea What It Is?

This was found in Broome, Western Australia and looks like an anemone. More specifically, Dofleinia armata, the armed anemone. Also called the striped anemone. It is considered extremely dangerous as it can inflict painful stings that take months to heal.

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#13

The Fox And The Hound

The Fox And The Hound

This poor fox obviously fell into the freezing water, perhaps pursuing prey onto thin ice, and drowned. We'd like to think that its doggy cousin is paying condolences in a sweet moment of canine comradeship.

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#14

This Fascinating Creature, A Deep-Sea Squid, Was Video Taped By Shell Out In The Perdido Area Of Alaminos Canyon, At 7800 Ft. Depth

This Fascinating Creature, A Deep-Sea Squid, Was Video Taped By Shell Out In The Perdido Area Of Alaminos Canyon, At 7800 Ft. Depth

We are well aware of the weird and wonderful creatures that inhabit the vast depths of the ocean, but this bigfin squid is very rarely seen, and little is known about them as a species.
This is the best and most recent footage of the elusive creature, taken on 11 November 2007 by an oil company in the Gulf of Mexico. The species are very distinct from all previously known squids, with the length of the elastic tentacles estimated to be up to 15–20 times the body length. Estimates based on video evidence put the total length of the largest specimens at 8 metres (26 ft) or more.

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#15

Death Shrouds From Hell - Spiders Cocooned These Trees To Save Themselves From A Flood

Death Shrouds From Hell - Spiders Cocooned These Trees To Save Themselves From A Flood

In 2010 a monsoon hit Pakistan that caused the rivers to swell and insects to run for cover. The strange anomaly was captured by aid worker Russell Watkins, a multimedia editor with the U.K.'s Department for International Development (DFID) in the Pakistani village of Sindh."There wasn't a scientific analysis of this being done. Anecdotally, I think it was pretty much any kind arachnid species, possibly combined with other insects," he told National Geographic. It was noted that because the flood waters took so long to recede, spiders who had sought asylum in the trees had just begun to spin weaves. Locals said they had never seen anything like it before.

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#16

Found A Beehive While Renovating An Old House

Found A Beehive While Renovating An Old House

Bees can find a cozy space between walls, causing issues for homeowners. How do you tell them to leave? We all know the value that bees have for ecosystems so simply gassing them should not really bee and option.
They can cause damage and mold though, especially if they are honey bees, so should be removed. Call a professional beekeeper to come and take the hive away, don't attempt it yourself!

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#17

In Case You Ever Wanted To Know What A Hedgehog Skeleton Looked Like

In Case You Ever Wanted To Know What A Hedgehog Skeleton Looked Like

As you can see, our spiky little friend wears his spines, which are made of keratin like our hair and nails, like a fur coat. The spines, unlike porcupine spines, don't easily attach from their bodies and are neither poisonous nor barbed. They can still be painful to the touch though!

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#18

Snaggle-Toothed Snake Eel Found On The Beach In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Snaggle-Toothed Snake Eel Found On The Beach In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

This nightmarish creature is the snaggle-toothed snake eel or the Aplatophis zorro. It is a tropical eel found in the eastern central Pacific Ocean. According to the specimen found and studied by John E. McCosker and David Ross Robertson in 2001 they can reach a maximum length of 104 centimeters or 3"4 in feet (gulp). The eels live at 5-10 metres deep and live in burrows.

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#19

Frog With Eyes In Its Mouth As A Result Of Macromutation

Frog With Eyes In Its Mouth As A Result Of Macromutation

A macromutation is a mutation that has made a significant impact on an organism, caused by a change in a regulatory gene that’s responsible for the expression of an array of structural genes. It’s been suggested that the cause of the mutation was the result of a parasitic infection by a trematode worm (Ribeiroia ondatrae). Trematode infections have reportedly been linked to an increasing number of amphibian limb mutations, particularly missing, malformed, and extra hind legs.

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andreavilarmelego avatar
Ozacoter
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Poor animal, i hope that she doesnt suffer with the deformities

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#20

You Can See The Back Of An Owl’s Eye Through Its Ear

You Can See The Back Of An Owl’s Eye Through Its Ear

"Like all birds, owls lack the external ear structures found in most mammals," photographer Jim McCormac said. "The birds' ears are unadorned openings in their skulls, visible only when the feathers on the sides of the animals' heads are parted. But these owls' unusually large earholes and eyes also offer a "behind the scenes" peek at their visual system, showcasing the evolutionary adaptations in sight and hearing that make the birds so successful at stealthy nighttime hunting."

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#21

Lactarius Rubidius Growing Out Of Fox Skull

Lactarius Rubidius Growing Out Of Fox Skull

Lactarius Rubidius, more commonly known as the 'candy cap' mushroom, is found in western North America and is known mainly as an aromatic mushroom. Instead of being eaten as a vegetable, they are instead used mainly as a flavoring in a way similar to vanilla, saffron, or truffles. Would you eat this one if you found it?

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#22

This Spider Web That Looks Like A Spider-Man Mask

This Spider Web That Looks Like A Spider-Man Mask

Light, temperature, and humidity can affect the strength of a web. The adhesive droplets that spiders apply to their silk become sticky only when the silk leaves the spider’s body. But its strength can be affected by environmental factors, thus transforming into a creepy skull like this one.

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#23

Snake Was Electrocuted Then Bitten By Another Snake, Which Was Also Electrocuted

Snake Was Electrocuted Then Bitten By Another Snake, Which Was Also Electrocuted

This shocking situation occurred within a power box and is just a terrifying ma-ssss-acre of serpentine proportions. Perhaps it was a botched rescue attempt after one poor snek found himself in trouble, his buddy tried pulling him away and suffered the same fate. Either way, it's truly the stuff of nightmares.

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#24

Someone Bugged His Phone

Someone Bugged His Phone

Things like this can happen when people fumigate. Insects try to escape chemicals by crawling into tight little places. Then they usually die.

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#25

Just Going To Run

Just Going To Run

This cozy fella has been identified as a ratsnake. Native to North America, ratsnakes are commonly found in the forests of the eastern and central United States and are essentially harmless to humans. If bitten by one of these critters, the most you will need is a small bandage, they are not venomous.
As the name suggests, their diet consists largely of small rodents, meaning they can often be found around barns and garages. Careful handling them though if you do find one in your shoe, instead of biting they are more likely to cover their victim with a foul-smelling musk!

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#26

Hydnora Africana

Hydnora Africana

The plant grows underground, except for a fleshy flower that emerges above ground and emits an odor of feces to attract its natural pollinators, dung beetles and carrion beetles. The flowers act as temporary traps, retaining the beetles that enter long enough for them to pick up pollen.

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#27

Something Is Growing Inside A Bottle Of Natural Orange Juice I Abandoned Inside A Cabinet For Over A Year

Something Is Growing Inside A Bottle Of Natural Orange Juice I Abandoned Inside A Cabinet For Over A Year

This looks like it could be a cylindrical yeast colony. They form when nutrients settle on the bottom below the colony, allowing it to form vertically.

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#28

Grow Bigger Or Die

Grow Bigger Or Die

It's hard to say how large these terrifying-looking locusts actually are. Are they true giants, or is the snake just a lil nipper? Either way, they appear set for a lovely sit down meal.

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Vlad Horobet
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's either the smallest snake ever, either those are some big a*s crickets. There's a post with a snake in an embryonic sack just after birth in this post and coiled is at big as a hand. So those crickets seem bigger than a human hand?!

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#29

Weird Mold Growing Out Of Cat Food Can I Left In An Empty Room For 10 Days

Weird Mold Growing Out Of Cat Food Can I Left In An Empty Room For 10 Days

By the looks of it, this could be a type of fungi called phycomyces. Phycomyces is not known to produce toxins, although its chemical composition has been investigated in considerable detail. It is probably safe for mammals: the fact that the dung of small mammals is the best natural source for Phycomyces spores suggests a regular consumption as food.

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#30

The Assassin Bug - The Ferocious Bug That Sucks Prey Dry And Wears Their Corpses

The Assassin Bug - The Ferocious Bug That Sucks Prey Dry And Wears Their Corpses

This terrifying and aptly named insects inject a lethal saliva into their prey which liquefies the insides, which are then sucked out.
The corpses of the emptied out creatures are then worn as camouflage by the cunning assassin. The camouflage is to protect the bug from being preyed on by jumping spiders, but if anything you'd think it would make them look even more tempting! 

orionmystery Report