Turns out, it’s not just humans who deal with unwanted attention—female octopuses have their own way of saying “back off.” And it’s a lot more dramatic than ghosting.
In a wild discovery straight out of an underwater soap opera, scientists have filmed female octopuses literally throwing things—shells, silt, debris—at males who just won’t leave them alone. No subtle cues here. When these sea ladies are not in the mood, they make it very clear.
This wasn’t a one-off outburst. Researchers, while observing octopuses off the coast of Australia, caught multiple instances on camera. Using their arms, females would scoop up whatever was lying around—bits of shell, mud, even algae—load it between two arms, and blast it out with a jet of water from their siphon. The result? A direct hit to a male bothering her. Sometimes more than once. Sometimes with force.
Some of these throws were just casual flicks, but others? Absolute power moves. Full-on, no-nonsense, get-out-of-my-space missiles. And many of them landed squarely on the target.
Experts say these aren’t random acts of ocean rage. They’re signs of frustration, rejection, and maybe even a form of communication. Think of it as nature’s version of “I said no”—with projectiles.
What’s remarkable is that this is one of the few known examples of non-human animals using objects to hit another specific individual. It’s intentional. It’s personal. And it’s kind of iconic.
This discovery not only reveals how socially complex octopuses really are, but also gives new meaning to the phrase “throwing shade.” Because when a female octopus is done, she’s done. And she’s got eight arms and a pile of shells to prove it.
So if you ever feel guilty about losing your temper with someone who won’t take a hint, just remember: somewhere in the deep blue sea, a female octopus is hurling a shell in solidarity.
