An animal lover experienced a “magical” part of nature when he stumbled across a winged creature that “looks like a children's toy” in his garden.
Lahiru came across the mysterious mini beast fluttering its wings when he spotted a burst of bright pink and yellow in the grass.
When he crouched down he encountered a furry Rosy Maple Moth, which was in the process of filling up its wings.
Rosy Maple Moths, which are the smallest species of silk moth, are native to North America and are famous for their unusual fur coating. They are commonly found in maple trees, and inhabit a geographic range spanning from Canada in the north to Florida in the south and as far west as Texas.
They range in colour from bright yellow to pale cream, with pink legs and wings.
Their fuzzy coat helps them pollinate flowers efficiently, while they are nocturnal.
The brightly coloured creature followed Lahiru around his garden for a while before eventually unfurling its large, curved wings and taking flight.
The tiny insect was dubbed the “most adorable creature ever” on social media after Lahiru shared his experience.
“I got to witness what I thought was amazing,” Lahiru shared in a popular Facebook group.
“I watched this little one filling up it's wings. What started as a thing with tiny wings that kept following me turned into a beautiful creature.”
He accompanied his post with a number of photos of the moth.
“We have them where I live,” one user replied in quotes reported by the Daily Mail. “My kids always called them cotton candy moths.”
“Mind blown. What a fantastic thing to bear witness to - such a beautiful moth!” another wrote.
“So beautiful, I've never seen anything like it,” wrote a third.
Another added: “That’s so cute! My son looked over my shoulder and asked mom is that a new Pokemon.”
