I saw this on Facebook today and have tried researching it myself, but I have had no luck.
1 Answer
This actually looks like a Gaudy Sphinx caterpillar (Eumorpha labruscae). It only mimics the appearance of a snake!
You can find more information about this species here.
- Range: Argentina north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to Florida, Mississippi, South Texas, and Arizona. Strays to Missouri, southern Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maine, and southern Saskatchewan.
You can find more pictures here or videos here and here. Also the below gif (see whole video here) demonstrates the ability of this caterpillar to vibrate its tail end to -- as far as I can tell -- imitate a snake's rattle:
Below is a picture of an adult moth from UC Berkeley:
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4$\begingroup$ Wow that is freaking awesomeness!! That first pic is truly amazing. +1 $\endgroup$– AliceD ♦Commented Feb 25, 2017 at 23:40
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2$\begingroup$ @AliceD Right?! Google "snake mimic caterpillar" to see some other really cool species! $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 26, 2017 at 14:38
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1$\begingroup$ Here is one of the cooler examples of snake mimicry! It even has a wiggling tail!! $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 28, 2017 at 17:41