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 - Wasps
- the mimic model, watch carefully you can see its sting at the abdomen tip.
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- Wasps have powerful defense mechanism - the painful sting. Wasp are generally
not subject to predation. They are large in size and become the model of
mimicry for large insects.
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- For the wasps mimicry cases we found, beside the colours and body shapes
are well resemble, all mimics behave much as the model.
Despite the difference in visual acuity and cognitive abilities
between
human and the insect predators, it is interesting to note
that
insects predators are likely responsible for visual
mimicry that is very accurate to
human eyes.
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- Followings are the examples that we found so far.
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- Wasp-mimic
Robber Fly - family Asilidae
 - In mid summer we found this Wasp Mimic Robber Fly hunting on the ground
among the dry leaves in Mt Cotton bushland. At first we thought it was a
wasp and put those pictures in our Vespid Wasps
page. Rob Longair, University
of Calgary, send us email and advised that "It is actually a robber fly
(Diptera: Asilidae) mimic of a wasp. The antennae and the stance in the second
picture are typical of robber flies." Here we would like to thank Rob
again.
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- Wasp-mimicking Mydas Fly - family Mydidae
 - When taking those photos, we thought this flying insect was a Large
Potter Wasp or Spider
Wasp, although we had a little wonder. This "wasp" was not
behaving like a wasp. A normal wasp usually flies away if we come close
within one meter. This "wasp" just kept on what it was doing. It
seemed very interested at the large dead tree trunk. It flied around and
landed on different spots of the tree trunk. We came back home and
looked at those photos, the insect looked like a rubber
fly. But its antenna was 4-segmented and too long for a robber fly. We
check further and found out it was a Mydas Fly. Check this page
for more information.
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- Wasp-mimicking Longicorn Beetle
  - This Longicorn Beetle mimics a wasp
to gain protection. To mimic a wasp, it has the very short elytra, or wing
cover. There are the orange-yellow bands on its abdomen. On its 1st and 2nd
abdomen segment there are the yellow edges to make it has the narrow- waisted
look. Besides its colours and body shape, the beetle moves like a wasp
too. When we came close to the beetle, the beetle put up different wasp-like
postures and movement to convince us that it was a wasp. After a few try and
failed to scare us, the beetle flied away. More pictures and information
please click here.
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- Another Wasp-mimicking Longicorn Beetle
  - This beetle is also known as Tiger Longicorn Beetle. Its forewings
are bright orange-brown in colour with black pattern. Those pattern mimic the
abdomen and 'waist' of a wasp. Besides they look like a wasp, they move
like a wasp too. Even we have seen this beetle a few times, when taking the
above first picture, we think it was a wasp moving on leaf searching for
caterpillars. More information and pictures on this page.
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[ Up ] [ Warnings ] [ Ants Mimicry ] [ Wasps Mimicry ] [ Black Wasps Mimicry ] [ Bees Mimicry ] [ Lycid Mimicry ] [ Jumping Spider Mimicry ] [ Self Mimicry ] [ Bird-dropping Mimicking ] [ Behaviour Mimicry ] [ Threaten Sign ] [ Mimicry in Butterfly ] [ Camouflage Master ] [ Eyes Pattern ]
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