Do you know what you’re dressing up as this Halloween? Maybe you’ll find some ideas right here!

Believe it or not, some animals use disguises—and not for Halloween fun. An animal’s “costume” could be a TRICK to avoid becoming an enemy’s TREAT. Or it could be a TRICK to lure in a TREAT. When animals look or act like something else, it’s called mimicry (MIM-uh-kree). Think about it. Was “insect” the first thing that popped into your head when you saw this pretty-in-pink thing? It’s more likely that you had to take a closer look. Head over to the next pages to find even more creatures in creative costumes!

ORCHID MANTIS
“I’m going as a flower. But not for picking!”

If an insect-eating bird sees this flower mimic, it will fly right on by. But if a bee or butterfly looks for nectar here, it will likely instead become a mantis meal.

BEE-MIMIC HOVERFLY
“I’m going as a bumble bee . . . tee-hee-hee!”

This is just one of many kinds of flies that look a lot like bees or wasps. Flies can’t sting, of course. But hungry insect-eaters avoid these mimics anyway.

SCARLET KINGSNAKE
“I’m going as a killer coral snake. Hah!”

Kingsnakes aren’t venomous. But they have the same warning colors as deadly coral snakes. So, predators may just avoid the colors. (They wouldn’t notice the different pattern: On a coral snake,
the yellow bands are next to the red ones.)

PEACOCK LEAF-MIMIC KATYDID
“I’m going as a leaf. But I’m good at BOO, too!”

If an insect-eater comes across this katydid, it probably won’t even notice it. If one gets too close, though, the katydid can suddenly pop open its wings to flash a scary “face.”

VICEROY
“I’m going as King of the Butterflies!”

If you thought this butterfly was a monarch, that’s the point. Monarchs are toxic and bad-tasting, so insect-eaters avoid them. By wearing the same warning colors, this safe-to-eat monarch-lookalike avoids danger, too.

MIMIC OCTOPUS
“I’m going as whatever, whenever.”

Many octopuses can quickly change their colors and shapes to “hide.” But THIS one is the Mimic King! It uses mimicry to steer trouble away, too. It can suddenly seem to turn itself into a sea snake, a jellyfish, a crab, a patch of seaweed—even a fish of one sort or another—and then right back into an octopus

SNAKE-MIMIC CATERPILLAR
“I’m going as a venomous viper.”

A squirmy, wormy caterpillar may seem like an easy snack for a hungry bird or lizard. That’s until it suddenly flips its head down, turns it around, and puffs it up with air to look like a scary snake!

 

WATCH THEM IN ACTION!