From what I have learned, this could be a form of Batesian Mimicry as the hummingbird moth imitates the appearance of the the hummingbird, which makes sense as it mistakes its predators by making them think its a hummingbird, when it's not.
https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/hummingbird_moth.shtml
I got the idea after finding another insect within the same genus (Hemaris) that mimics the appearance of a bumblebee.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1034&context=entodistmasters
That moth looks amazing! Does it follow some type of imitation of a hummingbird to prevent predators from eating it while eating similar food as the hummingbird?
I'm actually really curious about the specific type of imitation the humming bird moth uses on.
Comments (3)