Caterpillar mimic
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| Common name | Butterfly, Swallowtail caterpillar |
| Scientific name | Papillionidae |
| Taxonomic group | Lepidoptera |
| Level | Family |
| Source | Dan L. Perlman |
| Selection and adaptations | Coloration |
| Coloration | Mimicry |
| Behavior | Defensive |
| Organisms | Animals |
| Animals | Insects |
| Lessons | Mimicry and Camouflage |
| Location | Palo Verde National Park,Costa Rica,North America |
Caterpillar mimicking bird dropping, Costa Rica. If it survives to adulthood, this caterpillar will become a beautiful swallowtail butterfly. In its youth, however, it avoids predation through mimicry, by appearing to be an extremely unpalatable blob of bird excrement, as shown in this image. If a predator sees through the disguise and attempts to attack, the caterpillar has a second line of defense. It rears back, extrudes a forked scent gland called the osmeterium and lets off a foul odor, as shown in the companion image.
