EcuadorMegadiverso

This Harvestman from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador looks like a bunny with long ears. Its scientific name is Metagryne bicolumnata, from the family of Cosmetidae, in the order of Opiliones, colloquially known as Harvestmen or daddy longlegs. Though superficially similar to spiders they are not closely related to spiders order Araneae, but belong to the same class of Arachnida. Contrary to a common belief Harvestman do not have venom glands and are absolutely harmless. Harvestmen have been around for at least 400 million years and lived even before the dinosaurs. Ecuador is one of 17 megadiverse countries, it actually has the highest biodiversity per square kilometer of any nation, with over 1660 species of birds, some 4000 species of butterflies and thousands of colorful moths, more than 500 amphibians, as well as a unique flora with e.g. over 4300 species of orchids. Watching this bizarre looking “Bunny Harvestman” one cannot help but wonder if a mad scientist has grafted a rabbit's head onto an octet of spindly spider legs. Hilarious! This strange-looking <a href="https://rumble.com/viral/v1227092-bunny-lays-back-and-enjoys-a-bath.html" target="_blank">bunny</a>-spider was filmed on July 11 2017 by Andreas Kay. Surprisingly, the members of the Arachnid class are not classified as <a href="https://rumble.com/v3mrbd-huge-spider-terrifies-tough-farmer.html" target="_blank">spiders</a> even though they have eight legs. Footage shows that this curious creature has a dark body with a pair of eye spots situated on its back midway between its true eyes and the awkward “bunny ears” rise above from the edge of its abdomen. Crazy! Maybe the eye spots and ear-like protuberances are meant to fool predators into thinking the creature is larger than it really is. Kay snapped this bizarre creature while exploring the Amazon rainforest of eastern Ecuador. It was first described in 1959 by German arachnid specialist Carl Friedrich Roewer and left scientists amazed!

Nature is absolutely amazing. There is so many unique and interesting creatures that you could almost never get bored of learning about them all. Some of the most unique creatures in the wild are insects. There are trillions of insects in the world so find unique ones are not that very hard. It seems that the caterpillar in this video is one such insect! When this caterpillar in Ecuador is threatened it expands its underside, mimicking a snake head with black eyes! It will also <a href="https://rumble.com/v31hvv-snake-caterpillar.html" target="_blank">strike like a snake to deter predators</a>! It really does look like a snake! If you are walking through this insects habitat and saw it doing this, there is no mistake that you would think that it is a snake at first! Evolution sure is amazing! What did you think of this video? Have you ever seen an animal like this before? What <a href="https://rumble.com/v31l8c-must-see-amazing-caterpillar-looks-has-an-incredible-camouflage.html" target="_blank">unusual animals</a> have you seen? We would love to hear what you think so please do not hesitate to leave a comment down in the comments section! Please share this video with your family and friends as it is sure to interest them just as much as it interested you! This is one video that no one should ever have to miss out on!

This is a treehopper from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador. Treehoppers are insects related to cicadas and leafhoppers. Most treehoppers have a highly modified pronotum on the back, in this case forming five hairy globes and a long spine, probably serving to deter predators. Treehoppers feed on plant sap which is rich in sugar.

Tortoise beetles owe their name to the carapace under which they can find shelter like a tortoise, with the difference that their carapace can open for flight. This species (Charidotis venusta) with a golden ring that looks like a target is from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador.

When this caterpillar in Ecuador is threatened it expands its underside, mimicking a snake head with black eyes! It will also strike like a snake to deter predators! A considerable number of representatives of the animal world are true masters of disguise. For example, the butterfly caterpillar Hemeroplanes Triptolemus has an excellent protective mechanism. In case of danger, it clings to its hind legs to a twig, expands its underside and mimics a snake’s head with large black eyes! It will also strike like a snake to deter predators! This caterpillar can be found in the tropical forests of Central America, although the species has also been seen in the northern part of South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana). Caterpillars spend most of their time on trees thriving on a strictly vegetarian diet and it is positioned on the bottom of the food chain. In order to preserve the species, the <a href="https://rumble.com/v35r1n-5307179.html" target="_blank">caterpillar</a> snake has developed an excellent <a href="https://rumble.com/v4zt6r-protective-mother-bear-climbs-tree-to-keep-closer-eye-on-her-cubs.html" target="_blank">protective</a> mechanism, which allows it to reincarnate into a rattlesnake. At the time of danger, it clings to the back of the tree with its hind legs and lifts the upper part of its body. Then this cunning creature swells and its uplifted part acquires a triangular shape resembling the head of a snake with large eyes and shiny scales. For greater persuasiveness, it even begins to slightly rock "back and forth", imitating, in this way, the readiness of the snake to attack. All these tricks force the enemy to retreat. But, like all caterpillars, after a while, the caterpillar snake will reincarnate into a butterfly. It's a pity that nature’s actor of this magnitude gets to disappear so unpoetically.

This handsome and colorful Millipede was filmed in the upper Amazon rainforest of Ecuador. Millipedes do not actually have "thousand feet", nevertheless this one has about 160 and others may have up to 750 legs. Millipedes are harmless detritivores, feeding on dead plants, and have two pairs of legs on most body segments. By contrast the carnivorous centipedes can inflict painful, poisonous bites and have only a single pair of legs per segment. When threatened millipedes curl up into a spiral to protect their soft and vulnerable underside. Fossil evidence suggests that millipedes belonged to the first animals to live on land. See more amazing videos from Ecuador at https://rumble.com/user/EcuadorMegadiverso

This moss mimic walking stick was filmed at Finca Palamonte near Baños in Ecuador. During the daytime it hangs on moss covered twigs, where it is nearly imperceptible and only becomes active at night to feed on orchid leaves. It not only looks like moss but when disturbed even moves like it was waving in the wind! This elegant creature with its peculiar and mesmerizing appearance and unique body movement was spotted at Finca Palmonte near Baños in Ecuador. The strange creature in question is a moss mimic stick insect (Trychopeplus laciniatus) which belongs to the order of Phasmatodea – most commonly known as walking sticks or simply stick insects. Together with another closely related family called the Phylliidae which include insects that mimic leaves, they are among the world’s best masters of disguise. As their names suggest, some of them are characterized by a leaf-like body and are typically flat and wide while other, larger ones, possess a stick-like figure and are more slender in shape. They are typically quite large and can reach anywhere from a few to an incredible twelve inches in length. Besides their size, the color of their bodies is extremely important as it allows them to easily blend into their surroundings and protect themselves against any potential danger. These incredible insects often possess green, yellow or brown coloring but some may display multiple colors as well. Some also have the ability to change color depending on their environment, weather conditions or simply the time of the day, absorbing more light during the day which causes a lighter appearance and darkening during the night. Certain species can be covered in thorns, leaves or leaf-like patterns or even moss such as the one shown in this video. While they are quite noticeable outside of their surroundings, when against a wooden or mossy background, their moss-like texture makes them completely invisible. Additionally, while some types do have wings, the insects in these families are most commonly wingless. Instead, they possess elongated antennae which help them navigate their path. A very important characteristic which further differentiates them from other insects is their unique walk. The slow, rhythmic movement which seems like back and forth rocking creates the illusion of being caught in a strong wind. This strange <a href="https://rumble.com/v4d51n-take-a-walk-in-princes-shoes.html" target="_blank">walk</a> is vital as it mimics the natural movement of plants and further helps them blend into the vegetation around them. While they may seem intimidating or even poisonous to those unaware of their innocuous <a href="https://rumble.com/v33qmq-animal-man-beautiful-images-that-nature-lovers-and-animal-buffs-can-watch.html" target="_blank">nature</a>, these insects are herbivores, meaning that they exclusively eat plants. They are also nocturnal and are most active during the night when they feed on plants. They have no interest in other insects unless otherwise feeling threatened. In these situations, they may utilize the spikes which can be seen on certain species or they may emanate foul-smelling chemicals from their glands to defend themselves against predators. And, even if they sustain an attack, stick insects possess the remarkable power to regenerate and grow back lost limbs. Though undoubtedly freaky looking, stick insects should not cause any panic in those who encounter them. Nonetheless, despite their calm and harmless nature, they should still be approached with caution in order not to startle or make them feel threatened. But, in the end, their beautiful appearance, clever camouflage and unique movements are sure to make anyone stop and admire them.

This footage shows several couples of Longhorn Beetles of the species Steirastoma breve in the family Cerambycidae mating in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador.

This carpenter ant from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador became infected with a fungus that forces the ant to climb up and bite down on the underside of a leaf. Then it slowly decomposes the ant and grows a spore-releasing stalk from its head in order to infect more ants. Such Entomopathogenic Fungi attack many other insects and may be employed as biological insecticides. Crazy!

This Caterpillar filmed near Mindo in Ecuador looks like a feather which presumably gives it an advantage in the struggle for survival since predators such as birds will not perceive it as food. There are more than 3500 species of butterflies and some 10000 of moths in Ecuador and their larvae have evolved different strategies to escape predators. Some hide in the vegetation due to camouflage coloration, others resemble a stick or moss or mimic bird droppings. Bagworms build cases out of silk and materials such as leafs, wood and soil as camouflage, such as this Pagoda bagworm: https://rumble.com/v48got. Other caterpillars on the contrary are highly colorful (aposematic coloration) to warn potential predators that they are unpalatable or even toxic or have venomous spines. Some caterpillars expose fake eyes to deter predators, such as this snake mimic caterpillar from Ecuador: https://rumble.com/v311ab. But this is an exceptional case of a caterpillar disguised as a feather. It even makes steps back as it moves as if it was agitated by the wind!

Jumping spiders do not build a web to trap insects, but jump on their prey and grab it with the jaws. They still produce silk for safety lines while jumping and also to build a tent as shelter from bad weather and to sleep at night. As most spiders they have four pairs of eyes, which give them a 360-degree view of the world. Their large frontal eyes are build like telescopes and provide them with very sharp vision. A mobile retina allows them to scan the object they are looking at. They might look huge, nasty and vicious, but they are actually unbelievably tiny! The body length of jumping spiders generally range from 1 to 25 mm (0.04–0.98 in). That can easily be acknowledged if you take into account the size of the veins on the leaves in the video. These minuscule buggers can be found almost anywhere. Tropical forests harbor the most species, but they are also found in temperate forests, scrub lands, deserts, intertidal zones, and mountainous regions. Euophrys omnisuperstesis the species reported to have been collected at the highest elevation, on the slopes of Mount Everest. What’s most amazing about these <a href="https://rumble.com/v3adi2-ball-of-baby-spiders.html" target="_blank">tiny spiders</a> is their field of vision. Jumping spiders have four pairs of eyes; three secondary pairs that are fixed and a principal pair that is movable. The posterior median eyes (PME) are vestigial in many species, but in some primitive sub-families they are comparable in size with the other secondary eyes and help to detect motion. While unable to form images, it is suspected that the reduced pair of eyes has a role similar to that of insect ocelli by receiving light from the sky. The photoreceptors in the other secondary pairs are almost exclusively greensensitive, but the PME have two visual pigments different from that in all the other eyes, sensitive to blue and UV-light. The posterior lateral eyes (PLE) are wide-angle motion detectors which sense motions from the side and behind. Combined with the other eyes, it gives the spider a near 360-degree view of the world.

The Flower Crab Spider (Family Thomisidae) does not build webs to catch their prey. Instead, they are ambush predators. They usually sit motionless on flowers and grab visiting insects such as bees, flies or butterflies with their crab-like front legs. Some species can even change color to match the flower they are on! But this species, with the scientific name Epicadus heterogaster from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, can be found on green leaves and mimics itself a flower by reflecting ultraviolet (UV) light, just as flowers do, in order to attract pollinating insects. Even its movements are jerky, like a flower swaying in the wind. It produces silk for safety lines, but in this video it gets somewhat entangled into its own silk. As most spiders it has four pairs of eyes.

Tortoise beetles own their name to the carapace under which they can find shelter like a tortoise, with the difference that their carapace can open for flight. This species with a ruby ring on gold ground that looks like a target is from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador.

Jumping spiders are the largest family of spiders. They do not build a web to trap insects, but jump on their prey and grab it with the jaws. They still produce silk for safety lines while jumping and also to build a tent as shelter from bad weather and to sleep at night. As most spiders they have four pairs of eyes, which give them a 360-degree view of the world. Their large frontal eyes are build like telescopes and provide them with very sharp vision. A mobile retina allows them to scan the object they are looking at.

Here is another video of the Bunny Harvestman from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador. Its scientific name is Metagryne bicolumnata, from the family of Cosmetidae, in the order of Opiliones, also known as Harvestmen or daddy longlegs. They are not spiders, but belong to the same class of Arachnida. Contrary to a common belief Harvestmen do not have venom glands and are absolutely harmless. Harvestmen have been around for at least 400 million years and lived even before the dinosaurs. watch my previous video of the Bunny Harvestman: https://rumble.com/v44zn5

This video shows a tiny jumping spider from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador feeding on a long-legged fly. Jumping spiders do not build a web to trap insects, but jump on their prey and grab it with the jaws. Jumping spiders still produce silk for safety lines while jumping and also to build a tent as shelter from bad weather and to sleep at night. As most spiders they have four pairs of eyes, which give them a 360-degree view of the world. Their large frontal eyes are build like telescopes and provide them with very sharp vision. A mobile retina allows them to scan the object they are looking at.

Flower Crab Spiders do not build webs to catch their prey. Instead, they are ambush predators. They usually sit motionless in flowers and grab visiting insects such as bees, flies or butterflies with their crab-like front legs. Some species can even change color to match the flower they are on. But this species from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador can be found on green leaves and mimics itself a flower by reflecting ultraviolet (UV) light, just as flowers do, in order to attract pollinating insects. Even its movements are jerky, like a flower swaying in the wind. It produces silk for safety lines. As most spiders it has four pairs of eyes.

This footage from the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest shows a temnosoma bee grooming and licking honey. Check out those colors!

This footage from the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest captures the weird looking monkey slug caterpillar. Creepy!

This video shows a little Jumping Spider from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador. They do not build a web to trap insects, but jump on their prey and grab it with the jaws. Jumping spiders still produce silk for safety lines while jumping and also to build a tent as shelter from bad weather and to sleep at night. As most spiders they have four pairs of eyes, which give them a 360-degree view of the world. Their large frontal eyes are build like telescopes and provide them with very sharp vision. A mobile retina allows them to scan the object they are looking at.

These leafcutter ants from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador dissect a leaf with their strong mandibles and carry the pieces to their colony's fungus garden under ground. They cannot digest the leaves themselves but cultivate a special fungus on which they feed. The wingless worker ants are females. Each ant can carry up to 50 times its own body weight. This is equivalent to a man carrying a van over his head!

This spiny orb-weaver lives in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador. The bright yellow color warns potential predators such as birds that eight spines on the abdomen make them difficult to swallow. They are harmless to humans.

This cute and colorful little beetle looks this way because they are supposed to mimic caterpillar droppings, which gives them an advantage in the struggle for survival by protecting them from being eaten by birds. However, which caterpillar leaves shiny fuchsia and purple droppings?!

A bizarre video of an owl butterfly chrysalis mimicking its head in a snake manner has us confused and perplexed. This chrysalis of the Daring Owl-Butterfly, filmed in the Jardin Eco-botanico Mindo, Ecuador, mimics the head of a snake which gives it an advantage in the struggle for survival by scaring off predators such as birds. It has fake eyes, a fake mouth, fake scales and even strikes like a snake if disturbed! Researchers claim that butterflies and moths mimic snakes and foxes to fool predators. The dazzling colours and patterns on their wings make butterflies and moths some of the most eye catching creatures in the animal kingdom, but these dramatic designs also help turn the insects into master illusionists capable of <a href="https://rumble.com/v311ab-snake-caterpillar-from-ecuador.html" target="_blank">fooling potential predators</a>. Many species of butterfly and moth are capable of using their wing patterns to trick predators into thinking they are much larger and even more dangerous animals. This butterfly species has patterns on its wings that when viewed from the right angle take on the <a href="https://rumble.com/v31hvv-snake-caterpillar.html" target="_blank">appearance of a snake's head</a>. When disturbed, it writhes its head and body to complete the illusion. Amazing! The evolution has shaped butterflies and moths' wing patterns in a way that allows them to exploit their predators' eyesight and play with their sense of perspective. Footage shows owl butterfly chrysalis being pet by the head by human’s finger. It is interesting how the moment the finger touches its head, it instinctively writhes its head up, to mimic a snake movement! Not only it mimics its appearance, it can also mimic its behavior too. Incredible!

Jumping spiders do not build a web to trap insects, but jump on their prey and grab it with the jaws. This little fellow from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador was filmed shortly after it had caught a fly. Jumping spiders still produce silk for safety lines while jumping and also to build a tent as shelter from bad weather and to sleep at night. As most spiders they have four pairs of eyes, which give them a 360-degree view of the world. Their large frontal eyes are build like telescopes and provide them with very sharp vision. A mobile retina allows them to scan the object they are looking at.