Insects disguise as predators to escape

A butterflies in Costa Rica use a unique method to escape when encountering jumping spiders, which is to imitate the shape and action of the predator. In turn, jumping spiders must also disguise some ants to avoid being eaten by them.

In the animal world, some species often impersonate other species to bypass predators. For example, many butterflies know how to transform into monarch butterflies, one of the insects has a very unpleasant taste and is rarely turned into a meal of predators.

Jadranka Rota and David Wagner, two entomologists at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, have discovered that Metalmark butterflies in Costa Rica use a unique method to escape when faced with guys. Vengeance: turn into animals that hunt them.

A metalmark butterfly.(Photo: friendsofsaguaro)

"Whenever spiders jump, the wings of butterflies suddenly glow differently, then they jump around," Rota said.

Jumping spiders are popular predators in forests in Costa Rica. With sharp eyesight, the ability to move fast and light, they often monitor prey from afar, quietly approach and surprise attacks.

The researchers found that, under normal conditions, the probability of Metalmark Butterfly being caught was only 6%. But when butterflies and spiders are locked up in a cage, the spider's success rate increases to 60%.

Some other butterflies also know how to transform into enemies. For example, people once witnessed the butterfly Tephritid jumping around when it spotted jumping spiders. The species that do not imitate the enemy's dance style are the same color as spiders.

But the interesting thing is, the jumping spider must also disguise some ants to avoid being eaten by these insects.

"Assuming a predator is a rare behavior in nature and this case is one example. However, our understanding of the mechanism behind this behavior is not much," Jadranka Rota stated.

Jumping spiders are common predators in tropical forests
(Photos: bugsincyberspace)

Viet Linh