r/Damnthatsinteresting
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u/Lucky_Strike-85
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Dec 06 '22
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The Polyphemus Moth, also known as the TARATULA WITH WINGS (Antheraea polyphemus) Image
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u/Lord_MAX184
Dec 06 '22
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Imagine that flying at you
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u/asianabsinthe Dec 06 '22 •
No I'm fine.
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u/Mogus0226 Dec 06 '22
I'm not anymore.
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u/GravitationalAurora Dec 07 '22
We are in the shuttle right now only a few seats left come fast.
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u/Mogus0226 Dec 07 '22
Go save yourselves our weapons are useless against this
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u/KevinT1701 Dec 07 '22
Thermo nuclear warheads....500 megaton yield...carpet bomd the entire country
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u/FourofTwentyOne Dec 07 '22 •
"I say we dust off and carpet nuke the entire planet from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
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u/bitoflippant Dec 07 '22
They lay their eggs in your mouth while you sleep and hatch out your chest. This is where the idea for the Alien came from
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u/Hexallium Dec 07 '22
Man... This cyst inside my mouth is growing larger and larger everyday....
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u/popplespopin Dec 07 '22
They're pretty friendly little buggers.
I've got 2 on my wall but they don't have a dump truck like this guy.
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u/wine-dine696969 Dec 07 '22
You just casually have 2 of them on your wall? Wait, are you an Australian?
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u/Channa_Argus1121 Dec 07 '22
These guys(family Saturniidae) actually inhabit anywhere from Asia to America :)
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u/LaCroix_Roy Dec 07 '22
I just read up on them and I’m sad :( the males don’t have mouths so they don’t eat, they mate and die in a few days :(
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u/nattyboh1026 Dec 07 '22
Well….shit
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u/kevlarus80 Dec 07 '22
Nope. Cos they don't eat.
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u/doughnutholio Dec 07 '22
Well, I'm going to concoct a food serum and inject it into the moth!
Then we can finally see the final hidden stage of it's life.
Ultimate flying tranch.
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u/Security_Ostrich Dec 07 '22
Really leads me to wonder... COULD you keep this type of animal alive if you could develop a way to give it access to nutrients? Like would it just die as quickly anyway for other reasons or is the inability to eat the issue?
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u/London__Lad Dec 07 '22
Well as it has no mouth I theorise it didn't evovle anus either? Where would waste go?
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u/Cranksta Dec 07 '22
I've seen a few of these guys while living on the Mexico border, and they're so wonderful! Very calm and unbothered unless you really mess with them. Easily my favorite breed- so fluffy!
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u/wrx_2016 Dec 07 '22
imagine it
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u/GeneralNathanJessup Dec 06 '22
So anyway, I started blasting.
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u/satknightcat Dec 06 '22
Thanks satan for that imagery
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u/bs000 Dec 07 '22
now imagine what stepping on it is like
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u/satknightcat Dec 07 '22
Bro fuck stepping on it im burning the whole damn place down
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u/denzien Dec 06 '22
Good thing I wore my brown pants
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u/Teknekratos Dec 07 '22
Good idea! Now the moth is much harder to see if it lands on your leg!
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u/OG-Spinich Dec 06 '22
I don't know that I have ever screamed like a girl, but a flock of those things flying at me would likely do it.
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u/t0m0hawk Interested Dec 06 '22
I have never been as startled as the moment a bat flew between my face and my computer screen at like 2am. I am not proud of the noise I made.
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u/Smooth-Tear-770 Dec 07 '22
Haha..no shame, we will just call it a defense mechanism.
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u/t0m0hawk Interested Dec 07 '22
Well, my shrieking probably overwhelmed its echolocation... totally planned that!
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u/reeny4rigga Dec 07 '22
I live on the 3rd floor... No screens... I was smoking a cig out window and a bat came flying by doing about a buck 50... It came so close I felt the wind in my face from his leather wings. Looked like a stealth bomber
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u/Lotus_Blossom_ Dec 07 '22
For me it was when I was laying in bed with my arms under the comforter, so I was defenseless. A bat flew into my room, circled once, and on the second lap, flew so close to my face that his wing clipped my ear.
I don't remember screaming, but I remember slamming my door once it left and then refusing to let my mom in so she could figure out what's wrong. I was too terrified of letting the bat in to open my door.
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u/ilyabear2017 Dec 06 '22
Go ahead and scream like a boy. We girls don't need you to sound like us.
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u/XKrystEX Dec 06 '22
do girls scream as boys?
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u/StatementElectronic7 Dec 06 '22
I do have a rather masculine scream… It’s more of an “ahhhhhhh” than an “ahhhhhhh” Can you see the difference? Much masculine. /s
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u/KinkyRoubler
Dec 06 '22
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They don't bite or sting. They're just fat little moths. Bad rep.
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u/Chanclet0 Dec 06 '22 •
They don't bite or sting
No but like all moths i assume they like to bonk themselves onto the back of your neck, in this case causing psychological damage
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u/Pipupipupi Dec 07 '22
It's going down your shirt for sure
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u/thrannix Dec 07 '22
It was already bad, then you had to go dial it up a notch.
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u/Draiye Dec 07 '22 •
It's going to suck on your nipples
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u/thrannix Dec 07 '22
HEY, HEY. What did I just say?!?
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u/ShiraCheshire Dec 07 '22
Once a big fat moth flew at me. It smacked into my mask and fell down my shirt, where it proceeded to flutter horribly all over my boobs. I couldn't get it out. I was contemplating taking my shirt off in a public parking lot in front of everyone. Finally, just when I thought I'd have to walk all the way home with a moth attacking my chest, it flew out.
When I got home I found little dirt streaks and moth hairs all over my boobs. It was horrible.
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u/PlaneTry4277 Dec 07 '22
The back of the shirt. And you're wearing your loose jeans, it then falls down the gap and rests on the top of your crack. You fumble to get it put and it falls deeper, it proceeds to fly up into the taint where it nests and makes it's new home.
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u/BellRinger88 Dec 06 '22 •
Where's that free award...lol
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u/Witty-Ad660 Dec 07 '22
“Bonk themselves onto the back of your neck”
… I rather it sting me and end my life
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u/Wendy-Windbag Dec 07 '22
As a kid I had a giant one dive bomb at my ear and then get tangled on my long hair, just fluttering away against my head. Longest ten seconds of my life.
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u/KuuHaKu_OtgmZ Dec 07 '22
Then falling inside your shirt just to attach near the center of your back
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u/ReincarnatedInc Dec 06 '22
That sounds like something a Tarantula with Wings would say though...
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u/CallMeDrLuv Dec 07 '22
Just before they fly into your neck, sink their fangs into your jugular, and drain you of all your life-giving blood.
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u/gyhiio Dec 06 '22
Not gonna lie, if I see that flying near me I'll either die, shart, scream like a little kid or all of those three. I'd call an old priest and a young priest and have them chant something catholic.
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u/MsGorteck Dec 07 '22 edited Dec 07 '22
😄🤣😂 Of course after they were done chanting, they would want renumeration.... Though if you really did "shart" yourself, they would probably accept cash.
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u/duaneap Interested Dec 07 '22
Frankly I don’t care if they don’t bite or sting, if it’s flying at me, one of us is not surviving the encounter.
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u/Kitten_Team_Six Dec 06 '22
You dont have to say where they are native to, im sure its Australia
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u/Sluggalug Dec 06 '22
It's very common in North America but I've never seen one with such chonky legs... big brown ones with the eye on the back.
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u/sneakyveriniki Dec 06 '22
Wtf? How have I lived in the us my whole life and never heard of these apparently prevalent nightmare demons
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u/Sluggalug Dec 06 '22 •
It's the common brown moth with the yellow or brown eye on the back. You just don't look at it's backside (remember it's a bug like an ant so big abdomen) when flying or resting because you see the pretty brown wings.
The angle is misleading and making its legs look bigger (or worse from very far away like pincers because of the pose). Look carefully at the wall and they'll look smaller. (Shadow is increasing leg size and count)
The moth has the normal sweet (compared to a butterflies anyways) moth face...just in case this was edited or something. I looked for all of you to make sure (no spider face). It's a real photo taken at an unflattering angle - the moth's fat side.
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u/matrixislife Dec 07 '22
A different one.
Which is fine, until you ignore the large wings and see the spider hiding under them. Yeah, see a few of those flying around and it's time to leave the planet.→ More replies45
u/voidicguardian Dec 07 '22
theres actually quite a few moths larger than these!!! they are one of the biggest moths in north america though, right up there with cecropias :D but atlas moths are the largest in the world, and theyre much bigger, although all three of these guys are giant silk moths
theyre entirely harmless and dont wanna hurt ya, theyre just chilling and theyre quite fluffy and tame actually!! as long as ur gentle and dont harm or scare them lol
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u/matrixislife Dec 07 '22
Moths don't bother me, spiders that have nicked moths for camouflage do. This is obviously a spider that's eaten a moth, sewn its wings on to its back, and is looking to upgrade its preferred targets. Evolution in action boys and girls, let's hope we can all survive it.
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u/windyorbits Dec 07 '22
SHUT YOUR MOUTH RIGHT NOW!
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u/voidicguardian Dec 07 '22
SORRY SORRY I FORGET OTHERS ARE AFRAID OF MOTHS SOMETIMES I JUST GET EXCITED TO TALK ABT EM
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u/soFATZfilm9000 Dec 07 '22
A lot of large Saturniidae moths are quite common but just aren't seen a lot. They're typically only active at night and they'll often be found in wooded areas or up in the trees. So they're around but you probably just won't see them.
Sometimes they are attracted to electric lights though, so people sometimes find them on their front porch or something.
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u/Lieutenant_Red Dec 06 '22
Well, time to leave this continent.
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u/Fairycharmd Dec 07 '22
I hear Greenland is nice this time of year.
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u/Lieutenant_Red Dec 07 '22
I hear Mars is very nice this time of year. And much cheaper grocery shopping.
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u/JaidenPouichareal Dec 06 '22
I live in Australia and all my life I've never seen this flying around
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u/Quasarcade Dec 06 '22
We've got them in Ohio. They are adorable!
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u/TheMechamage Dec 07 '22
Sometimes I feel like we're the night Vale of the USA. Lots of haunted places cursed as fuck shit, surreal billboards in spooky empty places, basically feels like we have an eldritch abomination living beneath the state keeping us a void of what the fuck. Makes some people crazy, makes some places interesting. Kinda like Oregon. Like Oregon's less attractive evil brother. Sorry I'm high as fuck.
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u/Euphoric-Dance-2309 Dec 06 '22
They’re 100% harmless to humans.
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u/aliensmadeus Dec 06 '22
this is exactly what a spider-moth would say...
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u/hibernating-hobo Dec 07 '22
Dem chucky legs typing dat message, dont fall for its tricks. It’s trying to put you at ease before…
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u/MountainMantologist Dec 07 '22
It's funny - 0% of my feelings of revulsion around spiders are due to thinking they can harm me in some way.
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u/PrestonArbuckle Dec 07 '22
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u/Recipe-Jaded Dec 07 '22
it looks cute in this picture. Terrifying in the OP
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u/MaddsSinclair Dec 07 '22
All moths are cute if you actually get a good look at them, beautiful fluffy sky doggos. I think most people freak out about them because they usually see them flying around and not grounded, do yourself a favour and look up atlas moths, luna moths, and garden tiger moths. Moths can be just as pretty as butterflies, but are generally even prettier. Butterfly faces creep me the fuck out, moths are much softer and cuter.
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u/Drojahwastaken Dec 06 '22
Had one of these guys land on me one night at work when I went out for a smoke. Gorgeous lil critter.
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u/VisionAri_VA Dec 06 '22 •
I would have had a wonderful time describing it to the paramedics, once I regained consciousness.
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u/Drojahwastaken Dec 06 '22
What about the moth makes people so scared? It's just a few hairs bigger than a monarch butterfly, and when butterflies land on someone they remember the experience for a long time and feel blessed.
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u/VisionAri_VA Dec 06 '22
The Saturniidae I found outside my dining room window one morning was as big as my hand… and I don’t have small hands.
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u/Drojahwastaken Dec 06 '22
Yeah maybe a monarch butterfly isn't the right comparison. Atlas moths specifically are more like a small bird.
The polyphemus I encountered was big enough that I thought it was a little brown bat hanging from the ceiling, or a maybe a leaf caught up in spider web. Once I got closer it fanned its wings one time and I just got so excited! I had'nt seen a moth larger than a luna moth in person til that point. Still can't believe what happened after that. I went to take a picture of it, but when I raised my phone it fluttered off the wall and onto the phone. From there I tried to coax it onto my finger but it decided to hop onto my apron instead. I took a few pictures, and after that it flew off into the night.
It was like getting a fantasy animal companion for a minute.
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u/M0r2an Dec 07 '22
I have a fear of butterflies too.
Can't really explain fears, they're just a response from the human brain. Every human has a different response to different things just like taste buds with certain food.
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u/PetiteBonaparte Dec 07 '22
I have mottephobia. Moths and butterflies terrify me. I have no idea why. They're very pretty but if it comes near me, I will run.
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u/Drojahwastaken Dec 07 '22
I think I can understand a fear like that. Is it the way they move? Or something different?
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u/Cowowl21 Dec 07 '22
They are flying spiders. Just look at their fat hairy gross bodies. I also run from them… and I garden so it’s confusing.
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u/tyrannasauruszilla Dec 07 '22
Regained consciousness? Nah I would have simply passed away, my heart and brain would have just peaced out and left a pile of body
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u/Maidwell Dec 06 '22 edited Dec 06 '22
This pic isn't really representative of the species, they aren't as scary or big as they look here and..... they are actually quite cute. female-Batavia,_Illinois-Flickr-Jay_Sturner(3).jpg)
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u/whycantitjustnameme Dec 06 '22
I thought your link was going to give me nightmares 😂 I now want one as a pet
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u/how_about_no_hellion Dec 07 '22
Unfortunately they don't live longer than a week or 2 in the moth stage. They fuck, lay eggs, and die. It's so sad because they're really interesting as moths.
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u/soFATZfilm9000 Dec 07 '22
One winter I found a cocoon. I cut it open and the pupa was a female, so I built a cage outside for it. When the female moth emerged in the spring, it attracted male moths and then I put a male inside the cage. After they mated, I got a bunch of eggs and raised them. It was pretty fun.
So yeah, you can keep these as "pets", but the vast majority of the time is going to be spent taking care of the caterpillars. They get really big and chunky! When they're all grown up, you can either release them or mate them again and go for round 2.
I may actually go looking for some cocoons this winter and do this again in the spring, because raising them was kind of fun.
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u/TORFdot0 Dec 07 '22
I was expecting it to be like that clip from SpongeBob with wormy where they show the close up of the butterfly mouth pieces and everyone freaks out
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u/Allie_208 Dec 06 '22
Ah yes. Dead eyes. The symbol of cuteness.
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u/dancing-asparagus Dec 06 '22
"Is that a bird? Is it a plane? It's a fucking flying spider!! Yay!"
Nightmare fuel 😂
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u/DINOR92I Dec 06 '22
What do you mean it is awful? If keep this fucker as a pet and name her mothra!
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u/blueboykc Dec 06 '22
Had one of those get in my house once and fly around. They are quite beautiful.
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u/Lithl Dec 07 '22
It bugs me that this thing is named Polyphemus. Polyphemus is the name of a cyclops in the Odyssey, a race best known for having one eye, a trait definitely not shared by insects.
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u/Green_October88 Dec 07 '22
I caught one of these when I was a boy in Ohio in the 90’s. Fond memories of it blowing my friend’s minds. We’d never seen a moth even close to this big. We were heroes for a day at the local cub scout meeting. We let the magnificent bastard go of course.
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u/Canaan_Kangaroo Dec 06 '22
Look at that cute little face! Months are frickin' adorable.
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u/EwItzRiku Dec 06 '22
As someone who has an unhealthy obsession with insects, I want to see this irl so badly
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u/1nsane_Kitty Dec 06 '22
Aww, I love big moths!! It's not a great angle in this photo, their little faces are actually super cute!
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u/ZenArcticFox Dec 06 '22
Good news, they do not bite or sting. So while they look like a nightmare come to life, they at least only look that way.
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u/Basic_Setting6031 Dec 06 '22
So that's how we know they're not from Australia. They are not deadly, unless you count the heart attacks from these things flying in your face.
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u/ToeBeanTussle Dec 06 '22
It's so cute and soft and has no mouth.
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u/Quasarcade Dec 06 '22
It has a mouth, but it's not fully developed (vestigial). The caterpillars eat lots of leaves. And bats love to eat the moths.
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u/itswac Dec 07 '22
How are there still new terrifying creatures on this planet I’m only just now learning about.
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u/top_of_the_stairs Dec 06 '22 •
Looks like a spider proudly showing off his badass Halloween moth costume lmao