Rarely Seen Photos Capture A Darker Side To Nature

Nature can be beautiful, but it can also be super terrifying. There's a reason we don't coexist with animals in the wilderness anymore. Whether it's a tiger hunting for dinner or a tornado that wipes out an entire city block, these are some of the darkest parts of nature ever caught-on-camera...

Star-Nosed Mole

This miniature mole is most often discovered underground in areas that are moist and low throughout North America. This creepy crawler is well known by zoologists due to its 25,000 sensory receptors. Stay away from swamps and marshes if you don't like the look of this guy...

Leaf Me Alone

What do you think is on this leaf? If you guessed a kind of spikey protector, you would be absolutely correct. Using leaves as toilet paper is bad usually, but this makes it way worse! Though, it still is scary to see up close like this...

The Demon Owl

You're unlikely to find a bird creepier than the Stygian owl. This bird has green eyes during the day, but red eyes once night falls. Not only does it look spooky, but this animal is often associated with demons and the devil due to its appearance...

Tough Spot

It won't be easy getting out of this situation, that's for sure. Gazelles are famously hunted by big cats, so this picture shouldn't be shocking for any reason other than the timing. It was probably only seconds before this big-eyed animal got mauled...

Not a Fish

Penguins cannot fly on their own, so just think of this picture as a bird helping a friend. Realistically though, this penguin is about to become a full feast. It was small enough to look like a fish from up above, and that's all it takes for this creature to have its fill...

Wasp Fight

Wasps don't just target people enjoying their time outdoors, they come after a lot of other critters as well. Right now, it is munching on the head of a potato beetle. In a little while, that entire bug will be in the stomach of a wasp!

Tornado Torn

Tornadoes are vicious wind tunnels that can take out entire towns in mere minutes. Though many people have seen the destruction of construction, it's easy to forget how badly wind can mess up crops and landscape too. No one is safe from mother nature...

This Little Spider

 These jumping spiders are happy to eat the bodies of one another, but their reasoning isn't solely hunger-based. More than likely, the female didn't approve of the male mating ritual. Instead of denying him, she's likely to eat the guy! 

Squirrel Step

Everybody one, two, step! These two creatures are getting awfully close, but one is clearly planning a meal while another is planning an escape! This squirrel is seeing his life flash before his very eyes. Everyone say goodbye to this nut-eater...

Frog Stew

This frog is in a bit of a pickle, but the snake may be in a worse spot. After all, that snake is not going to be able to swallow him in one bite. It doesn't appear that the frog is putting up much of a fight, though. RIP little buddy.

Taken Down

There can only be one winner when it comes to mother nature, and in this case, it's very clearly the African rock python. This impala certainly cannot make the same claims. Look how giant that snake is though, wow!

Stick Spider

Is this spider dangerous? No idea. Is it scary? Definitely. Looking like a human skull is a great way to keep the predators away, that's for sure. Things with this spider could likely end up putting you in a ... sticky... situation. 

Who Are You?

If you're nervously wondering what this...animal is, you're certainly not alone. This thing is weird looking, but nothing to be afraid of... it's just a rubber eel! Known to be a caecilian family, they are animals that spend most of their lives deep underground. They also have sharp biters!

Owl Just Leave

Cat got your tongue? Or maybe an owl? Clearly, this cat has gotten himself into a predicament that he cannot easily get out of tonight. Is he having the time of his life? Owl guess probably not...

Knocked Out

The Cape buffalo in this photograph is obviously not pleased with that elephant in his way. Though it's not known what made this occur, it likely was some kind of dispute involving hunting or territory. Animals can be pretty mean when they need to be!

Bird Boxed

This bird has certainly found himself in the worst of situations. The black-faced vulture probably expected his day to end up with a few worms in his gullet, not in the meal plan of another creature! The yellow anaconda had the last laugh, yikes!

Great Escape

Something to remember about snakes is that they sometimes swallow meals that aren't even dead yet. For some of those dinners, they can actually kill the snake from the inside out. This giant centipede was able to make its great escape from the stomach of the beast...

Cloudy With a Chance Of Terror

Don't worry, these clouds look scarier than they actually are. Still, though, it's pretty convincing. These are undulatus asperatus clouds that occur after a storm has occurred. This really means the worst is over now!

Baby Doll

Find a scarier image if you can, but that seems like an impossible task. No matter what animal is inside, adding a severed baby doll head makes things infinitely more unsettling. Don't look at it directly, it could probably curse you...

Ice Dog

How did something like this even happen? This appears to be a dog trapped in a block of ice, but she looks to be in the middle of nowhere. What could have possibly gone down in this icy wilderness to end with this kind of result...

Underworld Portal

Allegedly, this is not a portal to the underworld but rather the opening of a volcano. Doesn't it look like bodies are being dragged down into the center of it all though? This is one of the spookiest examples of nature being nature out there!

Wasp Baby

Nothing to see here, just the main character of your nightmares! This is a wasp nest that was built in and around the body of a baby doll. This has to be just the worst example of nature and artifice coming together. Do your best to forget about this image, yeesh.

Living Dead

This might not look too crazy, but the story definitely is something to consider. The frog was dead in front of a store. The owner splash some water on the ground to brush it away, which the frog absorbed and came back to life! How does that even happen?

Mama Centipied

If you think spiders are scary, the centipede is now officially way worse. This is an image of a mother centipede covering her sack of children with her body for protection. Sweet gesture, but it is genuinely horrifying to look at...

Fish Are Friends, Not Food

'Cymothoa Exigua' sounds like it should be some kind of medicine, but it's actually a type of parasite. This vicious parasite burrows inside the gills of any fish, slowly devours the tongue, and then replaces it with its own body. It looks like this, sorry. 

Devil's Fingers

This plant is aptly named 'Devil's Fingers Fungus' for obvious reason. Look at those red leaves! Probably the craziest part though is the egg that it comes from (see in this photo). What other plant comes from an egg? None!

"Hi There"

There's a lot of discourse about dogs that look like people, but what about fish with human faces? This guy looks like he's seen some stuff in his lifetime, just stare into that eye! What could this creepy crawler possibly be thinking (aside from how awesome that view is!)

Bee Safe

There's an epidemic of bees taking up residence inside the walls of people's homes. In this home, they had so many buzzing bees behind their walls that their honey started to come through the outlets! What a delicious problem...

Ice Worm

Worms aren't exclusive to gardens, they also appear in the snow! This is an Antarctic worm known as the Eulagisca Gigantean. You can find it in the depths of the Southern Ocean at about 40 to 700m down. Eek!

Unlucky Lemmings

Lemmings are apparently no match for this owl, who managed to kill dozens and used their bodies to line his nest. All in all, about 70 corpses were used to decorate this bird's humble home. If that isn't nature at its darkest, what is?

Viper Views

A centipede is no match for the viper who devoured him... or was it? This centipede managed to eat his way out of the snake from the stomach. It's his own fault for thinking a multicolored bug would make a good meal!

Struck By Lightning

This tree was struck by lightning and set on fire internally! It was burning in the forest for about a day before it finally faded away, somehow not starting a forest fire. That is some incredible act of nature, though it does seem kind of inexplicable!

Lizard Legs

Lizards are slimy little creatures, but imagine them with an extra leg. This lizard had a genetic mutation that resulted in an extra leg growing out of his tail. Though it is a scientific marvel, it's also terrifying

Ant Island

In what will surely be the subject of every horrible thought forever, this is a mini-island made out of red ants. They collected together and they floated away during the Houston flooding. Wherever they ended up is surely cursed by now...

Cicada Shells

Anyone who grew up with the not-so-adorable cicada animal buzzing in their ears every day knows the look of their shell. HOwever, this one is especially scary. It looks like the tree is giving birth to a demon. Ah, mother nature's greatest gift...

Python Discrimination

These pythons are not in the mood to mix and mingle. As soon as everyone was in the same area, the snakes made the choice to separate by color into two giant piles. Both of these creatures could definitely kill you though...

Shedding Season

Did you know that a Caribou Bull, also known as Rangifer Tarandus, sheds its antlers? When it does so, it's definitely not pretty. Though it looks gory, this animal is just shedding its velvet. The blood supply is being cut off to the antlers!

Buzzing Chimes

These chimes don't sing, they buzz! After a group of bees made their hive on the long golden rods, this turned into the prettiest honey-making machine in town. The only issue is that you probably won't be able to get the instrument back...

Sheephead Fish

Sheephead fish might look like any other guppy, but open wide and you'll find a mouth filled with human-like teeth. Not only does it line the lips, but also the entire gullet. Yep, this fish is one of the worst things found in the ocean blue.

Tri-Tailed

What's creepier than just any other lizard? A lizard that is a product of scientific malfunction. Who knows what this little guy is capable of? He could be like a superpowered reptilian villain. Or, you know, just a lizard with extra parts. 

Ant Killer

This ant was spotted carrying the corpse of his vanquished enemies. Someone saw him carrying the carcass across a porch window and decided to snap a picture of the win. Hopefully, they give this guy a proper burial, but likely not...

Taiwan Landslide

The land will always win against man, as seen in this Taiwanese landslide. What used to be a bustling roadside was taken over entirely but an act of mother nature. No one stands a chance against the finality of destruction...

Don't Speak

A snake wrapped around the beak is not a place any bird wants to be, especially this guy. How will he manage to make an escape from this guy? Like an old western film, these two are at a standstill until someone makes a move!

Mussel Through It

This person was enjoying some lovely fries and mussels when they realized they had an extra guest for dinner! The mussel had eaten a baby crab and still had it in the stomach. Consider that a free meal!

Spiked Fish

Surely this comes from some kind of sea creature, but what kind of fish comes with spikey bones? This is not a sight for sore eyes but rather something that causes such a feeling. Stay far away from one of these if you see them...

Hippo Horror

Hippopotamuses might look big and adorable, but they're no laughing matter. These guys can be serious predators. This one must have gotten into some pretty hot water with another animal, look at those scars!

Lamprey Laughing

A good rule of thumb is that anything that exists in the ocean is probably pretty terrifying. This here is the mouth of a lamprey, though it looks like a black hole to the underworld. Don't stick your hand in that thing!

Haircut?

Nope, this isn't a wig gone awry, though it certainly looks like it. This is actually what happens when a boat's fishing rod got struck by lightning. Being out on the open water means putting a higher risk on you and your rod!

USA vs. Canada

Here, you can see a wild bald eagle standing on the nape of a Candian Goose's neck. Now, we're not saying that this is indicative of any sort of country disputes, but still... it's kind of crazy these two met at all. Who are you rooting for?

Clean Eating

Everyone knows that reptiles use their long tongues to eat bugs, but have you ever seen the scene in real-time? Here, one critter takes a snap at a bug buzzing around. It was definitely not long for this world...

Meal Prep

Animals can be extremely gross. A lot of them shed their fur or skin, but do a lot of them eat their own leftovers? This guy certainly did when he chomped down on his own tail shed. Does that count as cannibalism?

Crab Legs

crab legs are a delicacy in some parts of the world, which means this guy might be one of the sweetest treats ever made. Add a bit of butter to his tiny claw and you've got quite a meal on your hands. Bon apetite!

Oh Deer

This might look like a screenshot of a Tim Burton film, but really it's the corpse of a deer that was caught in a tree and never saved. He's nothing but bones now, but he probably made some critters a decent meal...

Slothing

No, that's not a demon coming to collect your soul. It's actually just a very wet sloth! Though sloths have become a fashion trend for designers and home decor, the real-life creature is more creepy than cute...

Wild Dogs

People are so used to having dogs in their homes that it's easy to forget how scary they could really be in the wild. This is a puppy that is on the hunt, and thus, his teeth are barred. Do you think you'd adopt this fluffy new friend?

Hippo Fights

Hippos are super violent, in case you've forgotten. Though some little girls hope for them for Christmas, they're way better off far away and fending for themselves. You don't want this guy under your tree this year!

White Heart

Hearts aren't normally red-colored. In fact, when you're gone for good, your heart will be white! This heart was cleaned and photographed for posterity. Can you believe this was once beating?

Feeling Nervous?

This is an image of a fully intact human nervous system! This thing is flowing throughout your body to make sure you feel and do things that you want to do and feel! Without this, people are basically nothing...

Shaving Grace

Tiger fur is not just striped, but their skin is too! You would likely never see it because when else would you shave a tiger? This is just more proof that nature is never what you think it is...

Glass Frog

This isn't a cool sculpture, it's actually a real frog! You can find these guys in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador. Their underneath is entirely clear, meaning you can see right into their core. Spooky...

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The More You Know

  • Cats have 32 muscles in each ear.
  • Female bats give birth while hanging upside down, catching the baby in their wings as it drops.
  • Slugs have 4 noses.
  • Squirrels cannot see the color red.

Post originally appeared on Upbeat News.