Weird moth looks like a Gremlin
Austin Thomas, 42, was taken aback to find the bizarre creature sitting by his garden pond.
Mr Thomas, from St Helens, said: “I often wander into my back garden with a cup of tea before breakfast to see if my pond has attracted any wildlife overnight.
“I spotted a moth sitting on a log and thought it would make a nice picture if I got my macro lens and zoomed right in on it.”
Mr Thomas said that the animal looked like one of the mischievous creatures from the 1984 comedy Gremlins.
In the cult-classic comedy, which was executive produced by Steven Spielberg, the little creatures wreak havoc in a small American town.
“The moth started to wake up as I moved the log from a wind-sheltered spot into better light,” Mr Thomas explained.
“It was then I noticed its unusual antennae, hairy body and the remarkable likeness to something out of the film Gremlins. I was amazed.”
The Pale Tussock moth is actually quite common in England and Wales. The animal, which has a wing span of 40-60mm, is known for being hairy. The caterpillars feed on shrubs and trees before growing into moths.
