The insect as seen on a Tik Tok video. Picture: Screengrab
A viral video circulating on TikTok of an insect that people referred to as the "creature from hell" due to its terrifying appearance and behaviour, has been verified and the insect identified by entomologists.
The video showed the insect with oblong wings flared out, resembling a combination of a stick and a scorpion, and it appeared to stab the air with its sharp tail. The bug's movements were likened to the atomically enhanced superbugs from classic monster movies.
Paronchestus cornutus(Stick insect). Dubbed 'a creature from hell' before being identified pic.twitter.com/FiQfCD33ZB
— Interesting Videos (@EngagingVids) July 20, 2023
The video garnered quite a bit of attention and fear on social media, especially considering it was shot in Laverton, Western Australia, where venomous creatures are already common.
Even Australians, known for their familiarity with dangerous critters, expressed being scared by the insect in the video.
Social media users compared the creature to iconic movie monsters, like the face-hugger from "Alien" and the bugs from "Starship Troopers."
However, it was later revealed that the insect was harmless, despite its terrifying display. Experts identified it as a walking stick insect, belonging to the family Phasmatidae.
Walking stick insects are herbivores and not venomous.
The insect's threatening behaviour was a ruse used for defence against potential predators.
Though some species of walking sticks can grow up to 25 cm long, they are seldom seen in the wild due to their excellent camouflage.
So, while the "creature from hell" might have initially caused widespread fear and fascination, it turned out to be nothing more than a harmless walking stick insect employing a clever defensive tactic.
IOL
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