Protective-mimicry
Guides
Megalopyge opercularis
southern flannel moth, puss caterpillar, asp, Italian asp, fire caterpillar, woolly slug, opossum bug, puss moth, tree asp, asp caterpillar
Megalopyge opercularis is a moth in the family Megalopygidae, notable for its highly venomous larval stage and strikingly different adult form. The caterpillar, known as the puss caterpillar, is densely covered in hair-like setae that conceal venomous spines capable of delivering extremely painful stings. The adult, called the southern flannel moth, is covered in soft fur ranging from dull orange to lemon yellow. The species has two broods annually in much of its range, with late-season larvae sometimes overwintering in cocoons.
Myrmarachne formicaria
Ant-mimicking jumping spider
Myrmarachne formicaria is an ant-mimicking jumping spider (Salticidae) native to the Palearctic region and introduced to North America. It is one of few Myrmarachne species found outside the tropics. The species exhibits sophisticated locomotor mimicry, walking with all eight legs while adopting ant-like postures and movement patterns. It was first recorded in the United States in Ohio in 2001 and has since spread to multiple states.
Rainieria antennaepes
Rainieria antennaepes is a stilt-legged fly (family Micropezidae) native to eastern North America. The species is notable for its distinctive behavior of holding its white-tipped front legs aloft and waving them to mimic the antennae of ichneumonid wasps—a form of protective mimicry. It is the only member of its genus occurring in North America, making identification straightforward within its range. The specific epithet "antennaepes" translates to "antenna foot," directly referencing this remarkable leg display.
Synageles
antlike jumping spiders
Synageles is a genus of ant-mimicking jumping spiders (family Salticidae) first described by Eugène Simon in 1876. The genus contains approximately 19–20 described species distributed across the Old World from Spain to China, with one species in northern Africa (S. repudiatus from Egypt), and in the New World from Mexico to Canada. These spiders exhibit striking morphological and behavioral mimicry of ants, including holding their second pair of legs aloft to simulate antennae and adopting characteristic ant-like locomotion.
Synageles venator
Palaearctic Antmimic Jumping Spider
Synageles venator is a small ant-mimicking jumping spider in the family Salticidae. Females reach approximately 4 mm in length, with males slightly smaller. The species exhibits striking myrmecomorphy—mimicking ants in appearance, movement, and behavior. It holds its second pair of legs raised like antennae and moves with rapid, halting urgency characteristic of ants. This mimicry provides protection from predators that have learned to avoid ants due to their chemical defenses.
Tarache apela
bird dropping moth
Tarache apela is a species of bird dropping moth in the family Noctuidae, first described by Druce in 1889. The species belongs to the subfamily Acontiinae, a group commonly known as bird dropping moths due to their camouflage coloration that resembles avian feces. The genus Tarache was previously treated as a synonym of Acontia, and some sources still list this species as Acontia apela. The MONA (Moth Photographers Group) or Hodges number for this species is 9133.