'Burn the house down': Footage of 'alien-like' creature goes viral

A terrifying ‘alien-like’ creature flexing its hairy tentacles has been captured in a horrifying video footage.

The monster insect, filmed in Indonesia, is seen wiggling its huge orange body, while it moves its four thick tentacles.

Thousands of people reacted in horror after the footage was shared on Facebook by user named Gandis which has garnered over 39 million views.

“I’d burn the house down if I saw this” joked one person while another added “Give him the keys and tell him the house is yours.”

Another wrote: “What in the heckle and jeckle is that?” wrote another while one said “What is it… I saw a similar in the east of Bolivia, it looks like an alien.”

‘What devilish creature sent to destroy us is this? I’m leaving Earth by the way… anyone coming?’ added another.

The creature is actually a Creatonotos gangis moth, which is found in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Thailand, New Guinea and Queensland, Australia.

The animal is not harmful to humans despite its eerie presence, and is known to wreak havoc on pomegranate trees.

The weird wriggling tentacles called coremata are used to attract mates, as they give off pheromone hydroxydanaidal through scent organs.

The tentacles and pheremones are produced by feasting on bitter tasting plants high in pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

The moths also have a wingspan of about 4cm.