A caterpillar that has been dubbed an “omen of death” was spotted crawling through one of the UK’s popular beauty spots. 

The bright green and purple insect was spotted by a woman and her dad while they were out on a walk at Cefni Reservoir, in North Wales. 

Madeleine Bucki, from Llaneilian, was pushing her young son in a stroller and walking with her dad in the popular nature spot when they spotted the unsuspecting creature. 

The large caterpillar will soon turn into a Death’s Head Hawk Moth – a large species of moth made famous by the cult thriller, The Silence of the Lambs. 

The moth is a harbinger of death, war, and disease, according to superstition. 

READ MORE We’re learning about the secrets of bird migration, says JOHN INGHAM[LATEST]

Moths are often seen as symbols of death in many cultures. In some Native American traditions, moths are seen as the souls of the dead.

Death’s Head moths, which appear to have a skull-like shape on their bodies, were used as a grim calling card by the film’s psychotic serial killer, Buffalo Bill. 

The movie poster for the film famously features one of the characters, named Clarice’s face, with her mouth covered by a moth. 

Speaking to NorthWalesLive, Madeleine said: “I was shocked to find it. 

“They are a migrant species and quite a rare find in the UK. I have always loved butterflies and moths, and this is one I have been hoping to see in the wild since I was a young child. 

“It’s been 26 years waiting for this, so I was thrilled to find it.”

Larvae are large and can reach 13cm in length and as they mature, they burrow underground and pupate in the excavated chamber. 

Death’s Heads are the largest species of moth ever spotted in Britain and can have a wingspan as wide as five inches (13cm) but they are not native to the UK and are very rare. 

The moths, which are native to Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe, are well-known for their bright and skull-like yellow thoraxes.

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Also known as the ‘bee robber’ as it uses its proboscis to break into beehives and suck out honey, the Death Head squeaks when it is alarmed by squeezing out air. 

Though rare, the moths have been spotted in the region before including in 2003, when larvae were found on Bangor University’s experimental blight-resistant potatoes. 

Delighted with her discovery, Madeleine said: “We weren’t actively looking for them, but this caterpillar was right in the middle of the path – you couldn’t miss it. Possibly it had left a food plant and was crossing the path to pupate, as it was quite far along and a good size.

“I hope there are more of them out there – and I hope that sharing the photo encourages people to get out into nature and see what they find.”

Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/ExpressUSNews and @expressusnews

Source: Read Full Article