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Is this ant terrifying or beautiful? Depends who you ask.

By María Luisa Paúl

24 Oct 2022 · 3 min read

A close-up shot of a carpenter ant has divided the internet with many imploring the image is reminiscent of a horror movie, while others insist their is beauty in the 'unknown miracles' of nature.

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There are an estimated 20 quadrillion ants all over the planet, except in Antarctica - a bummer, considering the continent's name.

But a close-up shot of a carpenter ant that started making the rounds last week bears almost no resemblance to the cutesy, cartoonish faces brought to life in films like Disney/Pixar's "A Bug's Life" or DreamWorks' "Antz." Instead, the image by Lithuanian photographer Eugenijus Kavaliauskas is reminiscent of a horror movie, with the carpenter ant's antennae poking out of eerie red circles and its jaw looking like an alien's saber-toothed grin.

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