Page 81 - One Million Things: Animal Life - The Incredible Visual Guide

4 BLISTER BEETLE 6 SKUNK 8 SCARY CATERPILLARS
Its red and black coloration identifies Even a predator as big as a bear can Being vulnerable to bird predators,
the blister beetle as an animal to get into trouble if it ignores a skunk’s some caterpillars attempt to scare
be avoided. If attacked, it releases warning colors. After hissing and them away. The puss moth caterpillar
a poisonous chemical that causes foot-stamping, the skunk sprays its raises its facelike head, waves its tails,
blistering and deters would-be predators attacker with a stinking fluid that can and may squirt acid. The hawkmoth
from disturbing the beetle again. irritate or even cause blindness. caterpillar mimics a poisonous snake.

5 WASP AND HOVERFLY 7 VENOMOUS FISH 9 BUTTERFLY MARKINGS
The yellow and black colors of a The colored stripes of the zebra lionfish Birds that try to eat the foul-tasting
common wasp provide a warning to send out a clear message to potential monarch butterfly do not repeat the
predators that it has a powerful sting. predators that its long spines are experience and remember the patterns
The unrelated hoverfly mimics the wasp’s highly poisonous. If threatened, the of their wings for the future. The viceroy
stripey appearance, thereby deterring fish puts its head down so the spines butterfly has a similar appearance, and
predators even though it is harmless. point forward, ready for action. also tastes horrible.

6

Hoverfly’s markings
mimic those of Black and white
the wasp warning colors “Tails” are
5 lifted and
waved when
caterpillar is
Head raised threatened
to reveal a
Long spines colorful but
filled with false face
venom
Wasp has clear Puss moth caterpillar
yellow and
black stripes
7
Hawkmoth caterpillar 8

Startling
eyespots mimic
a snake’s eyes

9

Viceroy butterfly Monarch butterfly 79

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