A Gleaming Wasp Moth

Birds and other predators associate this color scheme (black mixed with a bright color) with danger. It often occurs on stinging wasps. That's an advantage for this harmless moth, who may escape through confusion. 







While we're at it, here's another example of Batesian mimicry: a fly that benefits from its resemblance to a bee. If you look close, you'll see that it has only two wings (a fly trait), not four (a bee trait).


Recent research suggests that some animals even benefit from being bad mimics.

Photos by D'Arcy Alison-Teasley: