We’d like to think that nature is all about the sun shining and birds chirping. However, mother nature sometimes works in very mysterious ways. There are some unusual creatures, plants, and sightings in the natural world. What makes mother nature so exciting is that it never fails to surprise us from time to time. Here are some of the times that nature slipped up and the results were simply amazing.
“it may look like something out of a 1950’s sci-fi film, but japanese spider crabs are gentle giants”
Well, this isn’t something we see everyday. Who knew crabs were capable of growing so large! This is a Japanese sider crab and they live on the Pacific side of Japan and have legs around 12.5 feet long, weigh around 42 pounds and have a lifespan of up to 100 years! Pretty amazing.
“This pumpkin in our garden split and it looks like it has teeth.”
The more we look at this picture, the more confused we feel. There is something so weird about this pumpkin and how similar it looks to an eyeless face with teeth. What makes it even worse is the fact that this pumpkin is also covered in hair…
“This pixelated leaf I found.”
If you thought the picture just wasn’t done loading, look again! This leaf actually looks pixelated in real life. We can only imagine how confusing it must have been for this person to find this weird leaf while walking in the park.
These pair of red luscious lips belong to a plant called psychotria elata
Many guys (and some girls!) would pay plenty of money to look this ripped and muscular. Luckily for this bull, it doesn’t have to pay for a gym membership or do any heavy lifting at all, because somehow, it was just born like this. The Belgian Blue bull is one of the most common cattle breeds to suffer from this “double muscle” trait.
“weird, nature drawing on my car window!”
Well, it was definitely a frosty evening when this person woke up to some icy artwork on their car window. It almost looks a like a forest of trees and a lake which is pretty neat! Mother nature is truly a beautiful thing.
“The wind blew so hard the snow rolled itself up.”
Maybe it’s just us, but we had no idea this could even happen. Apparently, this is a rare meteorological phenomenon formed when chunks of snow roll downhill due to strong winds. These snow rolls can be as tiny as a tennis ball or as large as a car.
a flood in pakistan drove millions of spiders into trees to spin their webs
In 2010 there was a devastating flood that affected 20 million people in parts of Pakistan. This also caused a swarm of spiders that have made homes for themselves by creating webs around trees. That’s right, these aren’t nets wrapped around these trees, these are spider webs.
“If humans get ‘a frog in the throat’, what do frogs get?”
This amazing picture shows that nature sometimes isn’t as cute as we think it is. Frogs actually have mouths suitable for herbivorous, omnivorous, or planktivorous diets. This means they can eat plant and animal matter, as well as plankton. Usually, adult frogs have a carnivorous diet based on small invertebrates.
Ear-shaped mushroom resembling jelly-like flesh
At first glance these mushrooms look like human ears, and they even develop lobes that grow between 3-10 centimeters. These unique looking fungi can be found all year round in Europe and usually grow on dead elder trees or fallen branches.
“There is a heart shape in the middle of this tree.”
Although we understand it’s just a coincidence, this heart is a great reminder that trees, flowers and plants are living beings like us. There is something so special about this heart and how much it represents. So cute.
meet the pink fairy armadillo: the smallest armadillo species in the world
The pink fairy armadillo is arguably the tiniest and cutest armadillo we’ve ever seen. They are so small that they can actually fit into the palm of your hand. These little creatures come from Argentina and have a pink armor shell on their backs and silky white fur underneath. They have a lifespan of around 5 to 10 years and grow to be only 3.5 inches!
“This lime looks like a hand.”
Believe it or not, this is a real type of fruit. This green hand-shaped citrus is called Buddha’s hand and it comes from Asia. The fruit smells so nice that in China, Malaysia and Japan it is used for perfuming rooms and clothing. Besides, it is sometimes given as a religious offering in Buddhist temples.
“Girlfriend saw a rainbow pigeon in London.”
England is a totally unique country full of attractions you won’t find anywhere else in the world. But we had no idea that the pigeons were different there too! Amazingly, this guy’s girlfriend was just looking out the window of her London apartment when she noticed this unusual rainbow pigeon staring back at her.
foam blobs in the ottawa river
Ever seen a blob of foam while trekking along a river? Well, turns out these mysterious balls of foam were spotted in a river in Ottawa. As much as it may look like someone took a bubble bath, it most likely resulted in sewage and heavy rain. This foamy substance isn’t harmful to humans, but we never know if it can affect wildlife.
Some bees in France turned their honey blue after raiding an m&m factory trashcan.
This story is pretty bizarre but it just goes to show that nature is full of surprises. A few years ago, some beekeepers in France realized there was something wrong with the honey in the honeycombs. They later realized that the bees had gone dumpster diving in a nearby M&M factory. Clearly, they like the blue kinds best.
a tree growing through a gravestone
It’s common in some family traditions to dedicate a tree in memory of someone who has passed away. This picture takes that tradition to a whole different meaning. This symbolically represents the ‘circle of life.’
“Got a quadruple banana!”
If we ever had to guess how many bananas could possibly grow together as one, we would have probably guessed two. Maybe three. We would have never imagined that it would be possible for four tiny bananas to grow together as a single fruit.
the migration of starlings gathered together in a massive flock formation
This is a Starling bird flock formation that has gathered together to make one huge. Every year in the Spring the birds migrate and in Denmark it nature’s biggest event called the ‘Black Sun.’ The name comes from the formations that are so massive they block the view of the sky. Up to 1 million birds can be seen landing in a chosen spot at sunset.
“Found a butterfly with totally transparent wings!”
This person was just minding their own business, enjoying a sunny afternoon when suddenly they noticed a very unusual sight. Yup, glass wing butterflies are actually a thing, but they’re very rare, and most people don’t have the amazing luck of running into one.
“This double daisy.”
We don’t know about you but ever since we first saw this double daisy, we couldn’t stop thinking about how much we wanted an extra-wide flower to call our own. There is something so adorable about the way this single daisy looks like it’s made up of two separate flowers.
Bowerbirds build elaborate nests using colors, sticks, and berries to impress other female birds
Bowerbirds are found in Australia and New Guinea, and are well known for their incredible architectural skills and unique courtship behavior. Male bowerbirds create and construct colorful nests with different objects and fruit in order to attract a female mate.
“Found a lichen that looks like a rubber duckie.”
This is so adorable! This person was just randomly walking around when they found this lichen that looks exactly like a yellow rubber duckie and immediately knew they had to share a picture with the entire world. And we are glad they did.
“This crab claw grew another smaller crab claw.”
This is just a small example of how unpredictable nature can be. When this person found a giant red crab washed up on the shore, they obviously went to get a closer look. That’s when they discovered this miracle and genetic wonder. We already knew that the ocean is full of amazing and bizarre things, and this just proves it.
Bunches of grapes that are growing into one giant bunch.
This is definitely one of the weirdest sights we’ve ever seen, and we definitely won’t be able to unsee it. Let’s just say these people can safely go into the grape business and open up their own winery because they clearly won’t be running out of this product anytime soon.
“This rose from my garden looks like an exploding fireball.”
How gorgeous is this rose?! We never knew roses could come in colors other than red, pink and white, so this is a big shock for us. Besides, the roses we normally see are a lot smaller and have a single, solid color…
“The inside of this mushroom was blue.”
We’ve seen a lot of weird things in life, but this is definitely the first time we’re seeing a blue mushroom. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that it looks perfectly normal from the outside, but it’s actually blue inside!
“This peacock looks like it has three different graphics glitched together.”
There are many regions in the world where it’s actually quite common to see peacocks. However, even in those places, it’s very unlikely to run into a peacock that looks like this. Someone was in for quite a surprise when they spotted a peacock with dark, light, and all-white feathers.
“Here are some clouds shaped like UFOs I saw hovering over the highway this morning.”
If we were on our way to work and saw this unusual sight, we would probably turn right around and go home. Yes, we might get in some trouble with our boss, but it’s still not worth getting abducted by aliens on our morning commute. Clearly, something weird was happening on that day, but we’ll probably never know what it was.
“There’s a strange-looking bacteria growing in this barrel in my boyfriend’s backyard.”
Thanks to this person who found this interesting-looking fungus growing in a barrel in their boyfriend’s yard, now we know that bacteria can be neon green sometimes. If you want to do some extra research on this subject, this is called a pellicle.
“My uncle is a fisherman, caught this lobster off Felix Cove. Half male, half female. The blue half is the female side.
Wow. Sometimes we forget how wild and unpredictable nature can be, but other times we get a swift reminder. This often happens when we realize the kinds of crazy sea creatures that live at the bottom of the sea, but sometimes all it takes is one really cool lobster.
“Went to the beach right after it had snowed and found thousands of snowballs floating in the water.”
Um, weather? Is everything okay up there? Because this is a little crazy, even for you. Let’s just say that no one would ever come to the beach and randomly decide to make hundreds of snowballs, so this is definitely the work of mother nature. The person who snapped this photo was definitely as surprised as we are.
“In case you were ever wondering what an albino ladybug looks like.”
Just in case anyone’s been lying awake at night wondering what an albino ladybug looks like, we’re here to help! Because apparently, it’s exactly what we imagined it would look like. Actually, we had no idea albino ladybugs even existed, but this person proved us wrong with their rare find.
Go home forest, you’re drunk.
These trees were spotted in Gryfino, Poland and until today, the cause remains unknown. Sometimes, the best thing to do is just appreciate nature’s weird little quirks and not ask too many questions. And that is exactly what we will do when it comes to this Polish forest full of weirdly flexible trees.
“A flying fish landed on my boat last night.”
Just in case anyone didn’t know (we definitely didn’t), apparently some fish can fly. The person who posted this was, understandably, pretty surprised when she met one. “A flying fish landed on my boat last night. I took this quick pic then put it back in the water.”
This is a leopon, a hybrid resulting from the crossing of a male leopard with a lioness.
Yup, this is actually a thing. Apparently, when a male leopard mates with a female lion, this is the stunning result. The leopon’s head is similar to that of a lion while the rest of the body carries similarities to leopards. Unfortunately for those who would like to see one at some point in their lives, the chances are pretty unlikely, since there are less than 100 left in the world.
“Me and my girlfriend were walking in the woods and saw a rainbow pool.”
If we were walking through the woods and stumbled upon this sight, we’d probably think we were hallucinating. But somehow, this amazing scene actually happened, and this couple was lucky enough to witness it and snap a picture. Apparently, this unique phenomenon is caused by the sun reflecting the colorful leaves off the water at exactly the right moment.
“My dad found this glitch in the matrix.”
It’s pretty much the coolest feeling ever when we find an interesting creature roaming around in our backyards. After all, it’s not every day that we get to see a turtle or a lizard from up close. However, this person’s dad found something even cooler when they stumbled upon this turtle that looks like it’s split down the middle.
“My friend caught this fish off the coast of Hawaii.”
Um. Hi there! We just have a few questions…one, how is a neon iridescent fish even a thing that exists? And two, how on earth did this person find one just lying around? We doubt either of these mysteries are going to be answered anytime soon, so we’ll just calmly accept the fact that nature is cray-cray.
There’s a rare pink albino baby elephant at this national park in South Africa.
Visiting zoos and national parks is always fun because we get to see the rarest and most interesting creatures in the world. However, as cool as all the different species are, we’re pretty sure that this unusual baby elephant is the star of the show and gets plenty of special attention.
A landslide in Taiwan.
We had to look twice to make sure we were seeing correctly, but yup, that’s real. Sadly, in many places in the world, this is the reality. Things like landslides and earthquakes happen all the time. This photo truly shows the incredible force of nature that cannot be stopped under any circumstances, and will always find a way to surprise us.
“I think my tomato is growing tomatoes.”
Aww. There’s honestly something so cute about this tomato growing new tomatoes. But there’s also something kind of freaky about it. Nature is truly unpredictable, so there’s no point in even trying to imagine we know everything. It will always surprise us. As creepy as it is, this phenomenon called vivipary isn’t totally uncommon., so we will all probably see it at some point in our lives.
“Found this rare Nokia fossil today.”
Um, how on earth did this happen? Since we all remember Nokia phones, this is actually pretty hilarious. However, if someone found this phone 20 years from now, they might actually have no idea what it is and would probably put in the Museum of Natural History. And maybe it belongs there because it’s pretty crazy that the ground fossilized this phone.
Red bananas exist. Apparently, they taste like raspberries.
Although you won’t find them at your local ShopRite, red bananas are actually a thing. Most commonly found in Asia, Africa, and South America, these unusual bananas are known to be sweet and creamy, and for some reason, they taste like raspberries. The things you learn!
Meet Angel, an albino dolphin who feels no different than anyone else.
Part of being human is wanting to fit in with everyone else. That’s just the way we are. So when something is different about us, it can be especially hard, since we don’t like calling attention to our weird quirks. However, this albino dolphin named Angel is teaching us the lesson of never feeling bad for being different! Captured in a Taiji dolphin drive, she is currently living at the Taiji whaling museum.
“This butterfly looks like it has the number 88 on it.”
There are so many cool and unusual things in the world and we definitely won’t end up seeing them all. However, this person was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one of the weirder things this world has to offer: a butterfly that has the number 88 hidden in its wings.
My mice had a chimera pup! Overall the litter is pretty cute, but the markings on this little one are really unique.
If any of us just saw this mouse running around, we probably wouldn’t think it was anything special. However, when you love something, you tend to notice every little thing about it. So when this woman’s mice gave birth to a litter, she couldn’t help but notice that this one looked a little different, thanks to a rare condition.
“Found a pink grasshopper today.”
Um, what? Yup, apparently this is an actual thing. It’s rare enough to see a grasshopper, just chilling casually on your hand. But this one is pink. We can’t really get past that fact, but we’ll just have to move on and accept the fact that nature is ridiculous.
“You guys, how far along in the pregnancy is this rock?”
Reproduction is something that all forms of life go through, including humans, plants, and animals. Well, apparently, this now includes rocks, judging by this person’s cool find. A rock inside of another rock isn’t something you see every day.
“Weird apple my friends found at their orchard.”
Sometimes we just get in the mood for a nice, crispy apple and when that happens, we have to satisfy our craving. However, usually what we imagine is a red apple or a green apple, or even a yellow apple. Not this half and half creation. Clearly, nature gets bored sometimes and likes to surprise us.
Meet Qizai. He is the only Brown Panda in the world.
Most of us have probably never seen a panda in real life, but literally, only one in a million people have seen a brown panda! That’s because Qizai is literally one of a kind. This 7-year-old panda lives in China, and there are no other brown pandas that exist in the world.
Jabuticaba Tree. Its fruit grows from the trunk, not branches.
Nature loves to surprise us by switching things up every once in a while. And one of those things is this crazy tree, that grows fruit on its trunk, not its branches. This is honestly one of Mother Nature’s more genius ideas, allowing people and not just giraffes to actually reach the fruit, and makes way more sense than a normal tree does.
These ice crystals on the Arctic Sea look like a field of flowers.
One of the most amazing things about traveling the world is that you get to see all kinds of crazy natural events which you wouldn’t see in your local climate. One example of that is these stunning ice crystals that form when the air is colder than the water they are sitting on, proving that nature’s imperfections lead to amazing things.
This is not your average tree. Actually, it’s not even a tree.
While this unusual structure might just look like a very odd tree, it’s actually way weirder than that: it’s a nest. The sociable weaver is an African bird that builds massive nests, which become a home to thousands of birds. So if you ever run into one of these weird trees, don’t be alarmed. It’s just a pole with some giant nests on it.
“Today’s snow is a weird one.”
Sometimes you wake up and it’s a normal, totally average day where nothing in your routine changes. However, on other days, you just have a feeling that it’s going to be a weird day. That’s exactly how this person felt when they walked outside and got a handful of really weird snowflakes.
The unique coloring on these snakes makes them look like frosted donuts.
Something about these snakes is making us want to hop in the car and make a quick stop at our local Krispy Kreme. We knew that every animal was unique in appearance, but we had no idea that some animals look exactly like our favorite food, such as these unusual glazed donut snakes.
Crabs migrating along the road in Australia.
Australia is truly the land of nope! However, while we knew about all the alligators and weird insects, this is new to us. Apparently, once a year on Christmas Island, there is an annual migration of crabs from the forest to the coast for breeding purposes, causing havoc for the local residents.
“This zebra looks only half baked…”
Hmm. To be honest, it kind of looks like this zebra was in the process of being made, when suddenly the zebra factory had a glitch in their machines, and this is the result. We’ve seen albino animals and animals with unique stripes, but this rare zebra checks off both of those boxes.
“In Colorado, snow during the month of May can lead to some weird things.”
Clearly, even nature makes production errors sometimes. On most winter days, the ground is covered in a thin layer of ice, however, on this morning, things didn’t exactly turn out as planned. Instead of falling normally, the ice decided to adapt to its environment and literally took the shape of this slide.
“Everyone at the vet’s office is obsessed with my dog, and it’s pretty easy to see why.”
When this person walks into the vet’s office for their regular yearly check-up, all eyes are on their dog. Even the vets stop in the hallway to pet this good boy, and it’s pretty easy to see why. When we see a unique animal, we can’t help but stare, especially when it also happens to be adorable.
Rare “breast clouds” over Nebraska after a tornado.
When this person looked up at the sky, they probably thought they were seeing things. But nope! Apparently, Mammatus clouds aka breast clouds are actually a thing, although they’re very rare. Appearing as separate lobes, they eventually clump together to form one ominous cloud formation, signaling extreme weather ahead.
This salamander was born smiling.
Unless you live in a very tropical area, most of us don’t get to see salamanders that often. However, it’s even rarer that anyone gets to see this smiling salamander since there are only around 1000 of them in existence. Officially known as the axolotl, these creatures are both adorable and very weird.
You know you live in the middle of nowhere when even the snow looks like tumbleweeds.
We all look forward to making snowballs every year. Well, apparently, so does Mother Nature! These things called “snow rollers” are naturally formed by the wind, and basically looks like the winter version of tumbleweeds.
The starfish on the left is square due to a birth defect.
Wait, what? If starfish aren’t shaped like stars, doesn’t that make them…not a starfish? This one is truly baffling, but it looks like we have to accept the fact that just like humans, creatures come in all shapes and sizes too, and each one is cool in its own way.
That time snake-infested seafoam overwhelmed Australian beaches.
People who live in Australia have truly seen it all, and more. But apparently, nature is only just getting started with them and comes up with some crazy new idea every day, like this apocalyptic sea foam. One night in 2007, the seas of New South Wales turned to foam, containing nutrients, plankton, and of course, some snakes. Locals woke up to quite a surprise the next day.
“Is this where 7 Up comes from? It’s actually a chimera orange.”
We totally don’t blame this person for thinking that this is a 7 Up fruit since it really does look like it’s half lemon and half lime. However, it’s actually none of the above, but rather a rare chimera orange. This rare genetic mutation happens when multiple fertilized eggs merge in the womb, or in this case, on the vine.
Thousands of birds migrating across the skies of Rome, making it appear like TV static.
This might look like the grey static we used to see on our TV screen when it wasn’t working, but it’s actually just nature doing its thing. Pictured here are hundreds of thousands of starling birds migrating across Rome, and it’s definitely not what we thought migration looked like.
“Huge strawberry I got from a hospital’s fruit stand.”
Strawberries aren’t always in season. It’s one of those fruits that you have to catch at just the right time of year. Judging by the monster-size of these strawberries, this person picked exactly the right time to get their money’s worth.
This eerie cloud “blanket” was spotted over Jacksonville Florida.
Yikes. If we were on the other side of this ominous cloud formation, we would probably run for our cars as quickly as possible, because clearly, a storm is coming. Normally, we see a few grey clouds spread across the sky before the rain. However, this giant cloud “blanket” is a way better (and scarier) weather indicator.
“Found these life-size dandelion puffs.”
We’ve probably all made a wish upon a dandelion puff at some point in our lives, and watched all the little fluffy pieces fly away in the breeze. Well, maybe the reason our wishes never came true is that we’ve been wishing on the wrong dandelions. These giant ones would probably do the trick.
6 lightning strikes captured at once over Lake Michigan.
Whoever captured this photo has some pretty good timing skills. It’s unlikely enough to be able to capture a lightning strike on camera. However, it’s even more unlikely to capture 6 lightning strikes, since this is something that rarely ever happens. Clearly, this person should fill out the lottery because this is definitely their night.
“Meet my albino raccoon.”
On the list of things we thought we’d never see, this albino raccoon is probably at the top. It honestly looks nothing like a normal raccoon, which proves that life is truly all about perspective.
There’s a glitch in the matrix, folks.
This weird cloud formation spotted in Leongatha, Australia is pretty much something out of a weird dream. If we saw it, we’d probably think there was something in our eye, because there is nothing natural about this scene. But clearly, nature does what it wants and doesn’t always stick to its own rules.
Meet Blosom, the tallest cow to ever live.
Most of us probably didn’t think cows would make the list of insanely big creatures. However, this cow clearly proves us wrong. Meet Blosom, who holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest cow to ever live. At an incredible 6.2 inches, we can just tell that she was a gentle giant.
Enjoy this awesome blue tarantula.
Contrary to popular belief, not all tarantulas are black or brown. Some species such as the Poecilotheria metallica and Cyriopagopus lividus are blue. The former, also known as Gooty Sapphire Ornamental, is actually a very popular pet among tarantula enthusiasts.
When the snow gets a little too crazy over the weekend.
Imagine waking up, looking outside your window, and seeing this sight. Well, that’s exactly what happened to one person, and they just had to share the experience. “My neighbor’s house encased in ice after the recent blizzard in Ohio (on the shore of Lake Erie.)”
This is an American Bashkir Curly Horse. Yes, they exist.
Um. Say what? This one is truly weirding us out because clearly, everything we thought we knew about horses is a lie. Apparently, not all horses have silky straight manes! What’s next, Mother Nature?
A very rare golden tiger. it is believed that only 30 of them exist.
This animal might look familiar, but it definitely doesn’t look like any tiger we’ve seen at the zoo. That’s because this big cat is not your average tiger, but a golden tiger – 1 of only 30 in the world.
The world’s largest flower has no stem, so it attaches to a parasite and feeds off its nutrients.
Yikes. This freaky fact makes us think of flowers just a little bit differently. Let’s just say that you probably wouldn’t want to give a bouquet of these to the love of your life. You’re better off sticking to a regular bouquet of roses or daisies, that probably won’t be leeching off of parasites anytime soon.
We swear that this photo was taken on earth.
Via Imgur
This spooky scenery may look like it came straight out of a sci-fi horror film, but it’s actually a photograph of Hverir, Iceland’s volcanic landscape. Yeah, this place is real. Terrifyingly real. Geomagnetic storms caused the ominous green lights in the sky, while ghostly towers of steam and gas rose up from the rough ground.
This is a baby snake ready to come out of its egg.
You probably know that snakes reproduce by laying eggs, but did you know that this is what their eggs look like? Unlike chicken eggs, snake eggs are not as brittle in texture, so their shapes can vary a little. In general, their texture is leathery and soft.
There’s a phenomenon called non-aqueous rain where animals rain down from the sky.
Yup, this isn’t something out of a surrealist novel. Non-aqueous rain, aka Animal Rain, is a weather phenomenon that occurs when animals rain down from the sky. Though scientists cannot confirm the direct cause, they believe it is caused by tornados picking up small creatures such as frogs and fish and carrying them for miles before gravity eventually kicks in.
“This 1 in 50 million lobster caught off the coast of Maine.”
Wow. Sometimes we forget how wild and unpredictable nature can be, but other times we get a swift reminder. This often happens when we realize the kinds of crazy sea creatures that live at the bottom of the sea, but sometimes all it takes is one really cool lobster.
“Roller coaster almost perfectly intact in the ocean after Hurricane Sandy.”
Via Imgur
Seaside Heights, N.J roller coaster almost perfectly intact in the ocean after Hurricane Sandy. The Mayor wants to leave it as a tourist attraction. Hurricane Sandy really impacted many lives and the surrounding areas it touched for years. This is just proof of that.
“All aboard the NOPE mobile!”
Via Imgur
Uh, no. Absolutely not. Nah-uh. No chance in the world we’re stepping foot in that vehicle. You know what, we wouldn’t even step five feet away from that vehicle. Just looking at those creep-crawlies is giving us the heebie-jeebies!