#animal mimic

[animal-forgeries]

today's mimic: zone-tailed hawk, buteo albonotatus

the zone-tailed hawk has been suggested to mimic turkey vultures, most obviously in their flight pattern: the hawks fly unusually with wings raised dihedrally, and will rock back and forth in a similar manner to turkey vultures. additionally, the silhouette and the shape of the flight feathers resemble a turkey vulture much more than other similar hawks. this is an example of aggressive mimicry, since turkey vultures rarely hunt animals, while the zone-tailed hawk is an active predator. its prey will be more likely to ignore the presence of the bird, believing it to be a harmless scavenger. the kettling behaviour of turkey vultures aids the zone-tailed hawk, as it can blend into large gatherings of vultures. although up close the two animals are very different, even experienced birders may have difficulty identifying a zone-tailed hawk from its deceitful silhouette and flight pattern.

model:

photo by roy lowe

flight pattern comparison:

[onenicebugperday]

Jumping spider mimic planthoppers in the genus Rhotana

Photo 1 by tenebrionidfan, 2 by gancw1, 3 by budak, and 4 by deeqld

[psikonauti]

Armando Veve (American, b. 1989)

[heartnosekid]

mimic octopus (thaumoctopus mimicus) | source

[isjasz]

[Day 326]

(WIP??? MAYBE??? idk if i will finish this HSAKJDKLAJI)

obsessed with joel's anime intro so i doodled smth but didnt have time for mumbo o7

[allcolorbut-theblack]

my last two braincells:

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

The Oriental Blue Clearwing Moth: these moths were regarded as a "lost species" for more than 130 years, until they were finally sighted again in 2013

For more than 130 years, the Oriental blue clearwing moth (Heterosphecia tawonoides) was known only from a single, badly damaged specimen that was collected in Sumatra in 1887. There were no recorded sightings of this species again until 2013, when entomologist Dr. Marta Skowron Volponi unexpectedly found the moths feeding on salt deposits that had accumulated along the riverbanks in Malaysia's lowland rainforest.

These moths were observed by researchers again in 2016 and 2017, and research indicates that the moths are actually bee-mimics, as they mimic the appearance, sound, behavior, and flight patterns of local bees. Their fuzzy, bright blue appearance might seem a little out of place for a bee-mimic, but those features do appear in several different bee species throughout Southeast Asia.

When the moths are in flight, they bear a particularly strong resemblance to the bees of the genus Thyreus (i.e. cuckoo bees, otherwise known as cloak-and-dagger bees), several of which are also bright blue, with banded markings, dark blue wings, fuzzy legs, and smooth, rounded antennae. The physical resemblance is compounded by the acoustic and behavioral mimicry that occurs when the moths are in flight.

Cloak-and-Dagger Bees: the image at the top shows an Indo-Malayan cloak-and-dagger bee (Thyreus novaehollandiae) in a sleeping position, holding itself upright with its mandibles clamped onto a twig, while the image at the bottom shows a Himalayan cloak-and-dagger bee (T. himalayensis) resting in the same position

The moths also engage in "mud-puddling" among the various bees that congregate along the riverbanks; mud-puddling is the process whereby an insect (usually a bee or a butterfly) draws nutrients from the fluids found in puddles, wet sand, decaying plant matter, carrion, animal waste, sweat, tears, and/or blood. According to researchers, the Oriental blue clearwing moth was the only lepidopteran that was seen mud-puddling among the local bees.

Dr. Skowron Volponi commented on the unusual appearance and behavior of these moths:

You think about moths and you envision a grey, hairy insect that is attracted to light. But this species is dramatically different—it is beautiful, shiny blue in sunlight and it comes out during the day; and it is a master of disguise, mimicking bees on multiple levels and even hanging out with them. The Oriental blue clearwing is just two centimeters in size, but there are so many fascinating things about them and so much more we hope to learn.

This species is still incredibly vulnerable, as it faces threats like deforestation, pollution, and climate change. The president of Global Wildlife Conservation, which is an organization that seeks to rediscover "lost species," added:

After learning about this incredible rediscovery, we hope that tourists visiting Taman Negara National Park and picnicking on the riverbanks—the home of these beautiful clearwing moths—will remember to tread lightly and to take their trash out of the park with them. We also recommend that Americans learn about palm oil production, which is one of the primary causes of deforestation in Malaysia.

Sources & More Info:

Phys.org: Bee-Mimicking Clearwing Moth Buzzes Back to Life After 130 Years

Mongabay News: Moth Rediscovered in Malaysia Mimics Appearance and Behavior of Bees to Escape Predators

Journal of Tropical Conservation Science: Lost Species of Bee-Mimicking Clearwing Moth, H. tawonoides, Rediscovered in Peninsular Malaysia's Primary Rainforest

Frontiers in Zoology: Southeast Asian Clearwing Moths Buzz like their Model Bees

Royal Society Publishing: Moving like a Model - mimicry of hymenopteran flight trajectories by clearwing moths of Southeast Asian rainforests

Medium: Rediscovery in a Glint of Blue

re:wild.org: The "Search for Lost Species" Project

[bumfuzzled-bee]

!! Lil guys !!

[herpsandbirds]

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), EAT A TASTY BERRY!!!, family Mimidae, order Passeriformes, Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge, WV, USA

photograph by Michael Schramm/USFWS

[animal-forgeries]

today's mimic: mimic poison frog, ranitomeya imitator

photo by john clare

the mimic poison frog, also known as the poison arrow frog or imitating poison frog, is notable for having many colour morphs that allow it to mimic multiple different species. the four different mimicking morphs are:

'varadero', which mimics the red-headed poison frog, ranitomeya fantastica

'striped', which mimics the lowland zimmerman's poison frog, ranitomeya variabilis

'spotted', which mimics the highland zimmerman's poison frog, ranitomeya variabilis

and 'banded', which mimics the summers' poison frog, ranitomeya summersi

the mimicry is used defensively, as this species, while toxic, is much less so than the species it mimics.

comparisons:

(comparisons created by me, images source here)

[onenicebugperday]

Lichen mimic flatid planthopper, Atracis cretacea, Flatidae

Photographed in India by girishgowda

[itsonlypolite]

Voice of the Hunted!

I'm doing more of this "formally showing my voice designs" stuff again.

Other Designs: Cheated/Contrarian/Cold/Paranoid/Smitten/Opportunist/Skeptic/Stubborn

I wouldn't say Hunted is the *tallest* of my designs, but I do draw him as like, a basic Long Quiet design that's been stretched like taffy because I like the idea of Hunted looking like an "evolved" form of the Long Quiet - the hero that's been made into the prey. Also while I have drawn him mostly standing here, the second he gets down those basement stairs I imagine he's on all fours

Below the cut are the drawings without any text + the first time I ever drew Hunted!

[cat-cosplay]

When you just KNOW there is a Grimoire in there somewhere.

[shiftythrifting]

Submission from @excellentcollectionofwords

[duckmeat-woohoo]

*papermario_confused.wav* " ? "

[celestialmacros]

So. Much. Pollen.

Carpenter-mimic Leafcutter Bee (Megachile xylocopoides)

August 16, 2023

Southeastern Pennsylvania