Close-Up Photo of an Ant Goes Viral for Having “Demonic” Face

Most people think of ants as having cutesy alienesque faces – big bug-eyed orbs on either side of their head, with fuzzy antenna sticking up from the middle. That’s the way science books always made it look in school – and it’s definitely the design concept that films like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and (more recently) Marvel’s Ant-Man movie franchise have always gone with. However, as time and science have progressed, we’ve been able to get better and better looks at the miniature world around us – and when it comes to ants, that insight has been truly terrifying. 

This week, social media was lighting up with reactions to a photo by nature photographer Eugenijus Kavaliauskas, who has a particular focus on Macro photos of small insects. Eugenijus’ photo of an ant’s face was such horrific contradiction of what most people think ants look like that it became a worldwide headline. Take a look at the photo for yourself – along with the flood of reactions from people whose minds are blown by this: 

Ants: This is Not A Horror Movie

This is the tweet that went viral and got the ball rolling. 

THANK GOD YOU ARE BIGGER

Because if the sizes were reversed, ours would be a world of nightmares right out of Starship Troopers. 

Ant Movies Are RUINED

Who will believe those friendly ant movies NOW? 

THIS Is An Ant

Okay so some people simply refuse to believe the little critters aren’t like the movies. 

Resting Ant Face

Ants don’t always look like this – this particular guy was just having a really bad day. 

Need A Second Look At That

Confirmed: ant faces are scary as hell. 

This is the Face of Devils

I mean, if hell wasn’t the inspiration for this, what was? 

Need a Better Angle

Are THESE more flattering angles for ants? Is this how we should photograph them everytime?

Sorry, Fletcher

That’s an A.N.T. Farm joke. IYKYK.