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.
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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.
First I would try to figure out how I got to the Philippines without me knowing about it. Then I would call a vet over to check this little guy out for diseases and then if he gets a clean bill of health, feed it fruit and all of the creepy a*s bugs on this list. Then I would hold him, love him, rock him, kiss him and call him George.
You put out a bowl of fruit for them to eat and let them sleep? Honestly though, those are SO cute^^
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.
But you certainly don't have bugs, mosquitoes or spiders.
Load More Replies...I wouldn't mind a few lizards in the house tbh. They'll eat all the bad bugs. But I don't want those eggs to hatch and eventually having dozens of lizards in my house. No thanks.
I do have Mediterranean Geckos in my house. They keep the bugs down, and I haven't had a problem with overpopulation. I see them maybe 2-3 times a year..... I like having them.
Load More Replies...I dont mind lizards at all, I just wouldn't want to be walking through my house and here a squish under my foot
Tokay geckos! I bred these for years. One of the few gecko species that can be kept in colonies. Both parents protect the young. Tokays are LOUD, though. No quiet nights in this house.
I can understand how it would be pretty freaky at first, but if you think about it... it's actually kinda cool
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.
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.
Load More Replies...Ha! Love that movie. Just pray whoever took this doesn't end up with their eyes gouged out...
Load More Replies...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..
Load More Replies...I would LOVE to watch their murmuration for hours! Fascinating and lovely. I'd never say NOPE to this.
Could and have watched them for hours - ok 1 hour per night.
Load More Replies...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.
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.
As Vlad noted, those are male cane toads trying to mate with the nearest moving object... They are also try mating with roadkilled toads. They are not exactly picky...
THEY SEE ME ROLLING THEY HATE'N :3 The other animals are just jealous
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.
Not going to Australia then. Tear that off the ol' bucket list...
Load More Replies...If that spider will get in any other country, it will cause panic, terror and chaos for a couple hours, leaving it's witnesses with PTSD for a couple of days. But not in Australia. There it's classified as a pet or a least dangerous of their horrors.
"One of the least dangerous"? Sorry, but it's still the land of Nopes.
I have a resident huntsman named Henry. Don’t know where he is today but every day he is somewhere different in our house. If you leave it alone they tend to leave you alone. But sometimes they do jump. I have had a huntman fall on my head when walking through a door way and I have had a huntsman fall on the iPad whilst I was starting to shut it down to go to bed. My brother sat on a huntsman in the car and got bitten. He was fine as they aren’t venomous to humans, but coz he wouldn’t calm down my parents took him to the hospital where they gave him “anti venom” which was just a sugar tablet (placebo).
Hahaha lol for placebo. I still love Australia, I don't even care for spiders which looks like a small human baby. :)
Load More Replies..."..unless provoked". I am now imagining a huntsman in front of the council, me with a black eye and a missing limb, his lawyer mumbling something about "she provoked him!". I think I'll "respect his space" by staying on a different continent, thanks.
The Huntsman spider is one of the reasons I WANT to go to Australia! I also want to see Ogre Faced spiders, and Peacock Jumping spiders! Sign me up!
Sadly the jumping spiders are tiny. And in very hard to get to places. Huntsman are very good at hiding. I love them! They eat mosquitoes . :D
Load More Replies...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.
When a mother bird needs a nest, she can summon incredible strength!
Load More Replies...Comes with preinstalled 'burglar bars' for your protection against intruders.
If I see that in a tree I'll definitely freak the f**k out. Especially if there are baby birds in it 😂
I've seen it before. My family rented a whole house by the lake and as a decoration they had Pike's head mounted outside the house. And guess what - birds were nesting there too!
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.
No, no you don't. You want to preserve those bees and save them, 'cause if bees die, we die.
We need bees, so if you ever see something like this, don't freak out: “The swarm is generally not dangerous as it is focused on finding a new home,” says local bee enthusiast Ann Evans. “If you see a swarm, contact a local beekeeper, a beekeeper’s listserv or the Police Department, which also has a list of beekeepers to contact in case of a swarm reported.
How long since you rode that thing? That reminds me---I better go check mine.
It doesn't seem possible to have that many bees crowding on the underside of a bike seat like that without anyone suffocating, but it's working, because bees don't care what humans think is impossible.
Bees thrive in high density populations. Research "bee space" to learn more about comb density in natural bee colonies. This is probably 4000 bees bivouacing until scouts find a suitable 'permanent' home. They could be there for days but typically under 24hrs.
Load More Replies...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.
Does whatever a spider gecko does. Can it swing from a web? No it can’t; it’s a gecko!
Load More Replies...How'd that little guy manage to crawl in there, turn around, and crawl back out?
Toy spider? Thank goodness. I thought it was some new animal. Like a teenage mutant turtle spider.
The Chinese word for gecko is, I believe, "lamp tiger", though I always call them Oscar when I happen to get one inside.
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.
I looked at the foreground of the image first and was confused...and THEN
Those birds on the angle: "Well I guess all the good seats are taken. I'll just sit here, at a 45% angle"
This happens in the fall in Houston. I love it because it's usually around my birthday and Halloween.
You are one wearied person, but that is okay, right time of year and you are not alone.
Load More Replies...Not a migration. This is in Austin, TX most likely. This is daily behavior at dusk when tons of grackles come to roost. It's loud and fascinating!
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.
" lateral tooth-like testicles"? WTF? NO, they are not testicles, they are denticles (what were they thinking about?) "The rostral teeth are not teeth in the traditional sense, but heavily modified dermal denticles." Wikipedia
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.
Thats fascinating. I have a few animal sheds in my 'biology collection' at home
I used to keep snakes - they do that too - complete with eyes and mouths. Amazing to watch.
i feel like once a year my skin gets really flaky and dry and i pretty much do the same thing... am i a lizard person???
Oh, I am a bit squeamish when it comes to dead skin..this is likely to pop up in my dreamscape this night at approx. 3. am.
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.
Cthulhu’s daughter would look better than this thing!
Load More Replies...The way the title is written makes it sound like Mother & Girlfriend are the same person 😆
and this, folks, is why grammar and punctuation is important. Ignore me. I'm a bad example.
Load More Replies...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.
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.
So, Aliens have visited us. They live deep under the sea. Giorgio was right.
I was looking for this comment! Yes! Super angry teddy bear with those things you move puppets with (I have no idea what's it called)
Load More Replies...Damn those tentacles are like really really long! But what the heck are those two big things coming from the bottom?!!
I guess since it's Shell footage those are some of their technical stuff. Better visibility on the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPRPnQ-dUSo
Load More Replies...This is fascinating. We know soo little about what could be living in the depths of the ocean. The kraken doesn’t sound that much like fiction when you see something like this
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.
I don't need to speak German to know that means flamethrower! Get on it, Mel!
Load More Replies...I heard about that, it was actually good for the people living there. Because of the water, the mosquito population exploded which could have led to a malaria epidemic, but because of the spiders in the trees most of the mosquitos never reached the humans. Still creepy to an arachnophobe (which I unfortunately am)^^
So we give them time to eat the mosquitos and then we burn them down!
Load More Replies...The title of this thread should read "Things that are from your nightmares!!"
I thought I would find cool stuff on here, instead, I am finding scenes from horror movies.
People talking about lighting them on fire as a joke honestly makes me a little sad.
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!
Let it bee, let it bee. Oh, let it bee. Speaking words of wisdom, let it beeeeeee.
Load More Replies...There is a guy I watch on Youtube, and he actually goes in and removes the colony & comb, and moves them to continue to live & grow happily elsewhere. (Jeff Horchoff Bees, he is such a nice man!)
I'm going to go watch his videos, thanks for the tip! :)
Load More Replies...It's not nature's fault we have tried to take over the earth and its inhabitants
This happened to me! And yes, I did call out a professional beekeeper to take them away.
I'd just have it moved to my yard and take up beekeeping. Free swarm, cool beans. All beekeeping is, is the practice of taking the surplus honey they weren't using and making sure the bees stay safe warm and healthy.
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!
This is a preserved, cleaned and arranged skeleton, the needles are most likely glued together, the skin of the belly removed. A hedgehog would never decompose this way naturally.
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.
Wow! Those teeth are incredible. I'll bet he could eat corn on the cob through a picket fence.
Okay now, I WANT TO be afraid of it, but it's face says: "EYYYYYYYYYY! WADDUP?!" And I just can't :,3
Okay, you convinced me. I will never gonna swim in the ocean or in the lake again. Actually, I will not even take a shower. 🚿😅
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.
Would probably have to keep it's mouth open at all times to watch out for predators? Doesn't appear to have any exterior eyes at all. No peripheral vision.
Load More Replies...Well maybe the malformation happened in the chamge between tadpole and frog
Load More Replies...As far as I know, frogs can't actually swallow foods. They press their eyes into the cavity of the mouth to push the food into the stomach. This little fella is having a really bad time...
I had nothing preparing me for this picture and almost passed out seeing it
Close your mouth next time. Obviously, you have the same disorder. ;-)
Load More Replies...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."
Owl eyes are tube shaped, so they can’t roll around in the socket! That’s why they turn their heads!! Also why we can see their eyes through their ears. Imagine if you could look through your ear and see your eyeball.
I hope I never see something like that again. I have zero desire to peer inside something's head.
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?
Again, I think this is actually pretty gorgeous, in a strange way.
Absolutely! They’re rare, expensive, and they taste a lot like maple syrup. I know a chef in the Northwest who uses them regularly when they’re in season and he will NEVER tell anyone where his patch is.
I would eat it as soon as someone I KNEW was a true expert, told me it was safe.
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.
I wonder if it's from the same type of spider that bit Peter Parker in the first place...hmmm
I'll make the same comment that I made the first time this was posted: It looks more like the punisher skull than the spiderman mask to me! :)
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.
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.
ok now you got me.. giant bats.. no problem. but this?? this is insane
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!
I have two red rat snakes as pets. Even wild these fellas are not dangerous. No venom and really quite chill.
Load More Replies...I used to near the desert and learned to always check my boots before putting them on. I was surprised one day by a huge scorpion that thought my foot was a mid-morning snack. Even to this day, I check my shoes before I put them on, just in case.
Almost as bad as desert camping when a rattler tries to crawl in the sleeping bag with you
Just untie the laces, take the shoe outside, dump the little guy out. He's harmless.
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.
This reminds me of a horrible movie I saw called Teeth. You should Google it.
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.
It's a scoby, symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast!! https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/8yucn9/something_is_growing_inside_of_a_bottle_of_bitter/
A scoby - symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast - like in kombucha but in orange this time..
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.
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?!
I think they are not crickets, but locusts
Load More Replies...Immediately thought of radroaches from the Fallout series. Please, giant crickets, do not consume me.
I was thinking the same thing
Load More Replies...Fun fact if they get flipped on their back it's basically impossible for them to get up again due to their skeleton structure, because of this if one does get flipped over its friends will eat it.
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.
I wouldn't give that thing a name. I'm afraid it could answer back. 😳
Load More Replies...So if you leave an empty can of cat food out long enough, a whole new kitty will grow. lol
How did you just leave a can of open cat food in a room? Wouldn't it start to smell?
Why did you leave it in the open air for so long? Was it a science experiment?
That's why I'm putting cat food on my head all week to see if it works.
Load More Replies...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!
Very dangerous bug which bites humans and may give them Chagas disease, which is horrible.
* Shudder* Good to know what it looks like so I can avoid.....oh wait.
Load More Replies...I find most of this pictures really interesting. I dont understand why people freaks out so much about nature.
Don't know about others, but me, personally, I freak out because I've got a very picturesque and wide imagination. Honestly. And weird dreams. So, yeah. I do freak out. Especially to spiders. But I still find these interesting none the less.
Load More Replies...I need to look at kittens after all of this. I’m thoroughly unnerved.
I think I could go without seeing half of those :D Our world is sooo strange :D
Most of these pictures are pretty cool, but I can't imagine how scary it would be if I was the one discovering these things. Maybe not so cool then
I find most of this pictures really interesting. I dont understand why people freaks out so much about nature.
Don't know about others, but me, personally, I freak out because I've got a very picturesque and wide imagination. Honestly. And weird dreams. So, yeah. I do freak out. Especially to spiders. But I still find these interesting none the less.
Load More Replies...I need to look at kittens after all of this. I’m thoroughly unnerved.
I think I could go without seeing half of those :D Our world is sooo strange :D
Most of these pictures are pretty cool, but I can't imagine how scary it would be if I was the one discovering these things. Maybe not so cool then
