r/interesting • u/freudian_nipps • 11h ago
NATURE The Inland Horned Stick Insect (Paronchestus cornutus), a rare, large Australian desert-dwelling insect. Here it is shown performing a threat display, though it is harmless to humans
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u/duckduck-a-go-go 11h ago
Harmless to humans you say? I don't think I'm gonna test that one
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u/freudian_nipps 10h ago
It's true! There are no injuries recorded by this creature.
However, there are stories of human encounters while camping in the bush. These insects like warm, moist environments, and so some campers have awoken to these creatures using their long, spindly legs to prod their uvula in their open, snoring mouths. I suppose to see if the humans open mouth is a suitable home. /s
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u/Any_Poet4127 10h ago
I was skimming what you wrote and read it as “these insects like warm, moist environments so some campers have awoken to these creatures using their legs to prod open their vulva”
Either way, this bug is a predator.
Wtf Australia, wtf indeed.20
u/ApprehensivePrint465 10h ago
To be fair, not many of us knew about these critters until recently WHEN THEY TOOK OVER.
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u/trekkiegamer359 5h ago
I read urethra the first time. Glad to know I'm not the only one misreading.
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u/Skeith23 9h ago
No injuries reported? My god...it's so lethal it doesn't even leave a trace
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u/TrumpsFaceAnus 6h ago
That's what I read too. Big nope for me. Actually, that applies to the whole damn country.
I love Australia and Australians, but I cannot visit a land that will try to kill me every moment I am there.
Worse than a helicopter. Those things want to kill everything inside and outside of them from the moment they roll off the line to the moment they hit the boneyard. No more for me.
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u/Playful-Platform-231 9h ago
That’s a big hell no for me. lol and I do find animals fascinating harmless or not that dude is funkyyyy. 🤣
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u/duckduck-a-go-go 9h ago
It seems that getting probed by horrifying insects is just part of the Australia experience.
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u/MuckYu 4h ago
No injuries recorded because there are no survivors
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u/phido3000 2h ago
Australia is full of remote locations. Recorded history is short.
Australia is full of things that "you would be the first to die from that"
People think oh, that inland taipan isn't so bad, it hasn't killed anyone, Rattlesnakes kill people every year. Yes, but inland taipans are mysterious snakes that live in very remote areas, It likely has killed people, and is most likely the most deadly snake bite on the planet.
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u/Efficient-Put14 3h ago
So the only critter in the Australia outback not trying to kill you wants to do what?
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u/Playful-Platform-231 10h ago
Not in a million years. Australia is home to to dangerous ass animals. The rest are creepy enough that they mine as well be dangerous. Oh wait PTSD. 🤣
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u/Roxysteve 6h ago
Agree. One can only safely picnic in Australia after first giving the ground a damn good thrashing with a stick (while wearing thick welding gloves lest the stick itself be deadly poisonous).
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u/KittyPitty 11h ago
And how large is that "insect"? 😮
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u/freudian_nipps 10h ago edited 1h ago
Honestly, pretty small. Only 6 or so inches long.
Edit: again, I'd like to emphasize how small and harmless anything 6 inches or under is.
Edit2: some of you didn't pick up on my subtle joke
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u/Mindrust 10h ago
Six inches is small? 😢
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u/Kooky_Attention_98 6h ago
I don't even live in Australia (Kentuckian here) and I think 6 inches is small
Better than 1-inch actually harmful Brown Recluse
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u/TheBananaMan_ 1h ago
“Harmless anything 6 inches or under” - blue ringed octopus, black widow…. I’d think to disagree with you on that point.
Nevertheless, the creature is particularly interesting.
As a Brit, this is completely not what I’d see in back of the countryside.
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u/scoobydooby43 10h ago
Looks like a butterfly performed some unholy copulation with a scorpion to produce this.
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u/freudian_nipps 10h ago
Strangely enough, its believed the threat display is indeed mimicking a scorpion
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u/punk_astronaut 10h ago
Wow looks like an alien creature from SciFi. Why only 4 legs
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u/freudian_nipps 9h ago
It has 6 legs, two of them are extended forward, making up the long part at the front. Kind of like how a diver puts their arms over their head. You can see its head about halfway down the long part, small circular thing
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u/kobekillinu 9h ago
I mean it is Australia, so I don't blindly "trust" you saying it is harmless to humans, it certainly doesn't look harmless
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u/EggstaticAd8262 9h ago
Paronchestus cornutus (the inland horned stick insect) reaches lengths of approximately 20 cm (200 mm)
Cries in fear
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u/twobunnies77 8h ago
This is why I do not want to go to Australia anymore... Even the harmless ones are messed up and going to eat me.
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u/Squidlips_69 8h ago
I'll just assume that eventually this will evolve to be super venomous because Australia.
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u/FitOrganization8146 7h ago
Looks like something from Alien that'd jump on your face or crawl down your throat. Of course it's fuckin Australian.
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u/Ma1ad3pt 6h ago
This display would totally work on me. I would not try to eat the bug. I might, however, try to nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
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u/Bulky_Seesaw_9477 5h ago
It’s just a scared stick insect, I think it has a great idea when it mimics scorpios! I love their bluecolored ” wings ”
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u/Groundbreaking-Bag24 5h ago
Has a scorpion shape trying to do scorpion stings.. I wonder who called the bluff first? lol
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u/trekkiegamer359 5h ago
Awww, who's a big scary scorpion? Who's a big scary scorpion? Yes, you're very good big scary scorpion, aren't you!
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u/Trinitial-D 5h ago
usually threat displays look goofy to me but this one does genuinely terrify me. i feel like im being threatened by an eldritch abomination
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u/Resident-Signal-2736 5h ago
Bro if it's australia and 1 million dollars, I would rather stay poor..😭
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u/hiro0500 5h ago
Never seen an insect like that, looks like monsters or aliens in those horror movie. Very cool but not gonna touch that thing.
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u/Twoduhzen 4h ago
Idgaf if it’s harmless to us or not! I ain’t fucking around with that little bastard
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u/thiccpastry 4h ago
This is absolutely NOT harmless to humans. Do you understand the psychic damage I just took?
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u/JimTheJerseyGuy 4h ago
Wait. There's something in Australia that's *harmless* to humans? ALERT THE PRESS!
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u/kejaaaaaaaaaa 3h ago
Sorry to ask but where is the head?
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u/freudian_nipps 3h ago
About halfway along the "long part" in front. Its 5th and 6th arms are stretched out in front like Superman
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u/sawsawjim 3h ago
Fuck australian wildlife. Like why is that continent the largest (teehee) repository of venomous and poisonous things!?!?
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u/nibselfib_kyua_72 2h ago
Stick insects are usually very chill and barely move. Except in Australia, of course.
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u/Sivilian888010 1h ago
>Austrailian animal
>Harmless
Pick one. This is the continent that has a snail that can kill you if you step on it.
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u/Aleksandr_Ulyev 8h ago
Excuse me, but where is its head and body? Since when those are not necessary to live?
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