They have evolved to resemble female versions of certain insects. The pseudo-copulation strategy of the orchid enables it to spread its genes widely. The mimicry is near-perfect. For example ...

In deforested areas of New Zealand, a native fly is abandoning its dark hue. But what is behind this sudden chromatic shift?

Mimicry—the art of appearing to be something else—also plays a defensive role. The strange globes crowning Bocydium’s body resemble globs of Cordyceps, an insect-killing fungus common in ...

Mimicry in nature likewise can charm or repel ... the perfect cloaking device for a stealth hunter of leaf-eating insects that is itself much coveted by insectivorous reptiles and birds.

Mimicry in animals is a common form of protection from predators. For instance, two distasteful or toxic butterflies may ...