The 'Adult Wormy Closeup' originates from the 2001 SpongeBob SquarePants episode titled 'Wormy.' In the episode, SpongeBob and Patrick are terrified by their pet caterpillar's transformation into a butterfly, which they perceive as a monster. The meme features a jarring, live-action macro closeup of a horsefly (Tabanidae) that was used as a 'jump scare' in the show, accompanied by an intense buzzing sound. It became a legendary piece of internet culture for its ability to represent sudden, grotesque realizations or extreme reactions to minor situations. Today, it is frequently used in 'Expectation vs. Reality' scenarios or to describe the feeling of pure, unadulterated panic.