We are all phenotypes! A phenotype is what is produced by the interaction of our genetic code (genotype) with the environment. That is, the environment in the fullest sense of the word; i.e. all of the biological and non-biological things that surround us from the moment we start to develop; from egg to adult. Males…
The Chocolate albatross (Appias lyncida) is a fairly common butterfly in Asia, which can be found from Sri Lanka to Borneo. There are a number of different subspecies across this vast range. I was very pleased – I am always happy to see a butterfly! – to come across this fine specimen in northern Thailand…
These delightfully coloured, red, yellow and black Delias species – such as the Red-spot Jezebel (Delias descombesi descombesi) (above) – are widely thought to be poisonous, or at least unpalatable, and the colour patterns are therefore aposematic, i.e. a warning signal to potential predators. I was surprised therefore, to discover that until recently, the evidence…
I was very fortunate, I think, to come across this mating pair of bumblebee hoverflies (Volucella bombylans), which are well-known mimics of bumblebees. The interesting thing is that they were two different varieties, or morphs, locked together in copula. They look rather different from each other on account of mimicking different bumblebee models. The fly…
The upper wing surfaces of butterflies are often brightly coloured and visually highly apparent (above), whilst the undersides are usually fairly dull and inconspicuous (below). Although this characterisation is a gross generalisation – there are plenty of exceptions – these differences between the two wing surfaces, do reflect their contrasting functions: upper surfaces are used…
Why is that in some butterflies, the sexes are identical, whereas in other species the male and female are very different? Not an easy question to answer I think. In many of our common species, like the Red Admiral or the Peacock (below), the sexes are very similar, although the female may be slightly larger.…
I had the pleasure of coming across two large fly species in Spain this summer, both of which are thought to mimic the European hornet (Vespa crabro). They are both large and somewhat hornet-like in appearance and behaviour. In fact, in both cases, I initially thought they were hornets. Looks like a hornet, sounds like a hornet,…
Most of us can tell a bee from a fly, can’t we? We all have an idea about what each of them looks like: a fly is small and shiny; a bee is colourful, furry and buzzes about flowers. In fact most of us conjure up a vision of each based on experience. Birds probably…
Clearwing tiger moths, also called Wasp moths (Syntomini, Arctiinae, Erebidae), are somewhat similar in appearance to clear-wing moths in the family Sesiidae, but many do not have transparent wings. Those that do have transparent wings, like the one shown here (above and below) which I photographed in northern Thailand, are presumably, wasp mimics. Here is another…
This is a story of a moth, Histia flabellicornis (Zygaenidae), which is a Müllerian mimic, which means that it is an unpalatable species in the same area as other unpalatable moths and butterflies of similar ‘aposematic’ appearance; a sort of mutual resemblance society! I introduce other sorts of ‘Batesian’ mimics first, swallowtail butterflies which are not…
