"Mimicry in Nature"

#12501968

24 June 2025

A male Red Weaver-Ant Mimic Jumper (Myrmaplata plataleoides) is seen crawling on a leaf in a forest in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on June 24, 2025. This jumping spider species closely resembles the Asian weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) in both appearance and behavior, mimicking the ant's movements as a form of deception.

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#12495289

22 June 2025

wasp-mimic jumping spider (Rhene flavicomans) hides beneath the leaves of a lime plant branch while hunting prey in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on June 22, 2025.

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#12495290

22 June 2025

wasp-mimic jumping spider (Rhene flavicomans) hides beneath the leaves of a lime plant branch while hunting prey in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on June 22, 2025.

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#12495291

22 June 2025

wasp-mimic jumping spider (Rhene flavicomans) hides beneath the leaves of a lime plant branch while hunting prey in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on June 22, 2025.

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#12495292

22 June 2025

wasp-mimic jumping spider (Rhene flavicomans) hides beneath the leaves of a lime plant branch while hunting prey in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on June 22, 2025.

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#12495293

22 June 2025

wasp-mimic jumping spider (Rhene flavicomans) hides beneath the leaves of a lime plant branch while hunting prey in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on June 22, 2025.

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#12495294

22 June 2025

wasp-mimic jumping spider (Rhene flavicomans) hides beneath the leaves of a lime plant branch while hunting prey in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on June 22, 2025.

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#12495295

22 June 2025

wasp-mimic jumping spider (Rhene flavicomans) hides beneath the leaves of a lime plant branch while hunting prey in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on June 22, 2025.

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#12467754

12 June 2025

The Narcissus bulb fly (Merodon equestris) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on June 11, 2025, is known for its mimicry of bumblebees, a form of evolutionary defense. It has a hairy, yellow and black body, resembling a small bumblebee.

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#12465192

11 June 2025

A hoverfly rests on a leaf in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on June 11, 2025.

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#12465193

11 June 2025

A hoverfly rests on a leaf in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on June 11, 2025.

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#12415510

27 May 2025

A Swinhoe's striated hawkmoth caterpillar (Hippotion rosetta) is seen displaying a snake-like defense posture on May 27, 2025, in Tehatta, West Bengal, India. The caterpillar, which may appear green or grayish-brown, has a prominent horn on its tail and variable body markings depending on its form.

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#12415511

27 May 2025

A Swinhoe's striated hawkmoth caterpillar (Hippotion rosetta) is seen displaying a snake-like defense posture on May 27, 2025, in Tehatta, West Bengal, India. The caterpillar, which may appear green or grayish-brown, has a prominent horn on its tail and variable body markings depending on its form.

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#12415515

27 May 2025

A Swinhoe's striated hawkmoth caterpillar (Hippotion rosetta) is seen displaying a snake-like defense posture on May 27, 2025, in Tehatta, West Bengal, India. The caterpillar, which may appear green or grayish-brown, has a prominent horn on its tail and variable body markings depending on its form.

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#11994878

29 January 2025

The Red Weaver-Ant Mimicking Jumper (Myrmaplata plataleoides) is a jumping spider that closely resembles the Asian weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) in both appearance and behavior. It is found in India, Sri Lanka, China, and various regions of Southeast Asia. One was observed crawling on a leaf in a forest in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on January 29, 2025.

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#11961892

19 January 2025

Stilt-legged flies, which belong to the family Micropezidae, exhibit various behaviors to mimic other insects, such as wasps or ants. Known for their unique backward walking and a ''moonwalk''-like motion, one such fly was observed sitting on a leaf in the forest at Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on January 19, 2025.

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