Flies disguised as wasps can’t fool birds
Despite their bee-like appearance, hoverflies are all buzz, no bite. The harmless insects, more closely related to midges than wasps, imitate their distant stinging cousins with stripes, high contrast colors, and narrow waists. In theory, the “flies in wasps’ clothing” use this strategy to ward off would-be predators, without having to pay the cost of evolving venom and an appendage to inject it. But in practice, it’s an open question how well the tactic works. The quality of hoverfly mimicry can vary– from detailed disguises to the insect equivalent of slapping on a pair of cat ears for a Halloween party. Evolutionary biologists have long questioned why it is that some hoverflies bother with such inaccurate impersonations, and why poor mimicry persists in populations. New research offers a possible explanation. Even questionable copycats can trip up certain predators like spiders and praying mantises, according to a study published July 2 in the...