While experiencing in my yard, I would encounter something unusual. Just then it was early morning, the grass all dewed, and I saw a mysterious long rope laid across the lawn. My initial thought was that the paper came from a neighbor’s property and had been blown over.
However, I suddenly became stuck in fear. A scary idea ran through my head. What if the creature is a snake? When I heard about the story, it excited me and made my pulse beat faster. I care about making good choices, so I didn’t want to get too close to a trap. But my curiosity always managed to get the better of me. I held up my phone to get a picture and carefully got closer to them.
I moved on to the next step of the shape with great doubt in my mind. Every little sound in the grass seemed much louder than usual that morning. After I saw it very clearly, I was shocked all over again. It was not made out of rope. There was no snake involved either.
What I noticed was a long line of caterpillars, over 150 strong, with almost no gap in between them. I found myself totally spellbound, panic giving way to astonishment and shock. This was something I never predicted, and it occurred close to my home.
It was hard to believe that those caterpillars were following certain orders in their movements. Nobody left the formation and stayed together. Since they managed their speed so perfectly together, it seemed as if they had an invisible force helping them. As I saw everything continue, I kept processing my thoughts and started to wonder where all the people were headed. Why did they chose this exact direction when they moved?
I learned more later on that this sort of behavior is not unusual in nature, but it seldom catches the eye of regular viewers. Among these, the pine processionary is famous for sticking together while heading to certain habitats.
Certain scientists believe that traveling together in long lines could make predators hesitate, since it is a broader figure than a single caterpillar. Other experts think this method helps to save energy because the front animals make a path for the others to follow. It has been theorized that scents give animals a way to stay connected by following each other’s trails.
Even though these things are logical, I keep feeling as if I’m watching something unreal. The snowdrops appeared mysteriously and I am not sure where they wanted to go when they appeared. At that time, a simple moment in my backyard became something unforgettable. I have more unanswered questions than answers, but there’s no doubt that I will never think of grass the same way it was before.