Insect Camouflage, Mimicry, and Defense

ALBI-345 General Entomology

Aubrey Moore

Acknowledgment

Thanks to Dr. Rich Zack at Washington State University for sharing most of the slides in this presentation.

Camouflage

Warning coloration


Mimicry

Diptera: Syrphidae (hover flies)

Insect defense systems

Peppered moth

Peppered moth story

  • industrial melanism in adults
  • adaptive color change in caterpillars

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppered_moth_evolution
  • Industrial melanism in the peppered moth is a prime example of natural selection.
  • Read the full story
  • Peppered moth caterpillars can change their color to match the twigs they are on.
  • A recent journal article reports that the twig color is not sensed by their eyes, but by their skin.

Insect images on insect wings

Insect images on insect wings 1
Labdia spp.: Moths in this genus are commonly reared from Leucaena leucocephala seed pods on Guam.
Insect images on insect wings 2
Cosmopterix spp.
Insect images on insect wings 3
Goniurellia tridens
Insect images on insect wings 4
Macrocilix maia