This is all about mimicry in the animal kingdom, from the species that look or smell like something else to dupe predators and prey alike. There is also information on animals that pretend to be something else in order to reproduce.
[featured image] The last post about the hornet clearwing moth got me thinking about another incredible mimic, a photo of which I saw when looking for images for a new book I’m working on. The animal in question is a neotropical sac spider (Sphecotypus cf niger, Corinnidae) photographed by Arthur …
[featured image] Now is a good time to look for the fantastic hornet clearwing moth (Sesia apiformis), well it is if you live in NW Europe. These amazing vespid mimics have to be seen to be believed. Even the vespid’s big eyes have been faithfully reproduced as shiny patches of …
[featured image] Evolution has been very creative when it comes to mimicry, but the most incredible in my opinion and therefore at …
[featured image] You’d think that transvestism might be a uniquely human trait, but the animal kingdom is not without other species where …
[featured image] Orb-web spiders build an intricate trap to catch their prey, normally hapless insects; however, there are some spiders in this …
[featured image] The paussine beetles (see scoundrels – #6) are very good at mimicking the odour of ants in order to run …
[featured image] Most animals are content with mimicking one species or a group of species, indeed that’s all they can do because …
[featured image] As we’ve seen with the ant-mimicking spiders (see scoundrels – #8), the imitation of ants is often very elaborate because …
[featured image] Some predators found hunting to be something of a real chore, so over the eons they evolved means of getting …
[featured image] Ants are pretty mean animals. They bite, some of them sting and individuals from the same nest can co-ordinate their …