Meet Dynastor darius darius. Deception level: 5000. Native to Trinidad, these butterfly larvae have developed an impressive defence against potential predators: a very realistic snake costume. During the pupal stage (the life stage at which larvae transform into butterflies or moths), these creatures put on an incredible display of mimicry. After shedding its final layer of skin, Dynastor darius darius hangs for 13 days on the underside of a bromeliad leaf at a carefully selected angle pretending to be a snake. Why? Pupae are immobile, which makes it easy for birds and other predators to eat them – so this nifty party trick helps them stay safe during the "big change".
Dynastor darius darius is certainly not the only species with a trick up its sleeve (er, spiracle?). When it comes to predator defences, caterpillars and pupae have all the weapons: venom, silky bungee cords, camouflage, mimicry, poison, foul odours, unpalatable hair, high-pitched whistling … there have even been reports of puss caterpillars spitting an acid-like substance! These elaborate defences are not really all that surprising when you consider that caterpillars are pretty much just juicy protein sausages whose main life function is to become even bigger, juicer protein sausages. These voracious feeders are preyed upon by everything from birds to people and require powerful defences if they are to have any hope of surviving.
We’ve seen our fair share of impressive mimicry, but this takes the cake.
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