Chile found "something" on the ground & started to bark at it like crazy.
When I looked, I saw that she had cornered a bug that was almost half as big as her own head.

Seeing her with not only a gigantic, unfamiliar looking bug - but also one with two big 'eye spots" just below its head - I yelled for her to get away from it. I didn't know if the bug was poisonous or not. When Chile jumped back, the bug flew up to the gate.

With Chile safe, I ran back inside and got my camera. Of course, I forgot how scary the thing looked & got super close to get some shots of this huge creature that filled the frame. I did get entire head & body shots (at different angles) that are good and could be used in a book of bug identifications. However, I selected this photo for Pbase because this was when the bug turned its head & looked directly at me photographing it. The big bug, then, abruptly took wing and flew directly at me before heading off into the trees. When it flew toward me, I jumped back with an "Eeeek!". Afterwards, I went inside to research what kind of bug that I had been photographing to see if it was dangerous or not.

The last time that I did an "out of curiosity", super close shot of an unfamiliar beastie, I later discovered - to my horror - that I had been inches away & was doing macro photography of a Brown Recluse Spider. Talk about Eeeeek!!! That had come in with the box of new house plants I bought at a garden show. I was horrified.

Luckily, the above bug (photographed today) might have been super big (over 2 inches) and a little scary looking at first, but it turned out to be harmless and good to have in the garden. The two "eye circles" on its middle section are there to scare off predators that might want to eat it. Maybe predators like Chile; who has lately taken to picking up live, flailing bugs in her mouth. Chile's new habit is a story in itself. If I hadn't stopped her, I don't know if she would have eventually tried to grab this big bug or not. It was gigantic in comparison to her. She couldn't have even begun to fit it into her mouth. Maybe that was why she was barking.