MindanaoMimics
Oneday,Cabrasspottedabeetle.Itlookedalotlikeabeetlethatshealreadyknew.Atfirst,shewasfooled.Thenshelookedmoreclosely.Thisbeetlewasanewspecies,butithadwarningcolorslikethebeetlesheknew.Itwasa mimic!
Sometimes,abeetlewillmimicanother.Doingsohelpsitschancestosurvive.Predatorsseethebeetle’swarningcolorsasasignofdanger.Theygetscared off.
MODEL
MIMIC
HereareafewexamplesofbeetlesCabrassawduringher work.
Themimicslookliketheir models.
Model
Mimic
MODEL
Model
MIMIC
Mimic
ThisisoneofthefakebeetlesCabrasusedinher research.
TestingaTheory
Cabrasbegantowonderifshewastheonlyonetobefooledbythismimic.Shetriedanexperiment.Shemadefakebeetlesoutofclay.Shegavethemwarningcolors.Shewaitedtoseeifpredatorswould attack.
Ifthepredatorknewthewarningcolors,itdidnotattack.But,ifthepredatordidnotknowthewarningcolors,itdid.Thesepredatorshadnotyetlearnedtostay away.
acamera trap
InMindanao,therecouldbemanynewspeciesto discover.
Cabrashasmanymorequestionsabouttheisland’sbeetlesandtheirmimics.Shehopestolearn more.