Nature & Environment

Weird 'skeletal' insect filmed in Costa Rica

By T.K. Randall
March 20, 2020

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) The 32-year-old language therapist couldn't understand what she was seeing when she first spotted what appeared to be a patch of moss moving on its own out of the corner of her eye.

"I was cutting fruits to make a fresh drink and suddenly I saw it," she said. "At first I thought it was a bit of moss, then I thought it was a cricket and then I didn't know if it was a type of praying mantis."

Upon closer inspection however it became apparent that the creature was none of those things. It seemed to be comprised of interlocking green thorns and it was possible to see straight through it."I was like, 'wow, that's incredible!' I had never seen one and I have lived all my life in rural areas," she said. "It is difficult to describe but it is dark green with lighter green."

After posting her footage up on Facebook however, an answer to the mystery was soon found - the peculiar insect was in fact a type of cricket known as Markia espinachi.

The reason it looks so skeletal is because the darker parts of its body blend perfectly into the background, creating the illusion that it is possible to see straight through it.

This clever trick enables the insect to remain perfectly camouflaged against predators.


Source: YouTube

Tags: Costa Rica, Insect