Stories
If it Looks Like an Ant and Smells Like an Ant… Batesian Mimicry in the Amazon Jungle
Over 150 years ago, in the steamy jungle of the Amazon Rainforest, the explorer and naturalist Henry Walter Bates was watching two different butterflies fly side-by-side. He had discovered that one was poisonous, which would make any predator sick if it was eaten. He also knew that the other lacked any poison defense.
The reason Bates was watching them so closely was that, despite being different species and only one being poisonous, the butterflies looked almost exactly alike.
In the animal kingdom, it is s best to advertise you are poisonous before the predator has to eat you to find out, for obvious reasons. This is why many poisonous animals advertise their defenses with bright coloration. Predators then quickly learn to beware of certain patterns and combinations of colors. But of course, this only works if the animal is actually poisonous.
So, what about our non-poisonous butterfly? Well, this is exactly what Bates was thinking as well.
His theory was that the harmless species wanted to trick predators into thinking it was also poisonous. And he was right.
Batesian mimicry in the Amazon..
Now a well-known phenomenon, Batesian mimicry (named after Bates) is when a non-harmful species copies the appearance of a harmful species. These non-harmful mimics trick predators into avoiding them as well, without needing to be poisonous or otherwise harmful themselves. (Batesian mimicry in the Amazon)
The most familiar animals we know of that mimic other species in this way include hoverflies that imitate wasps and bees, milk snakes that are patterned like venomous coral snakes, and certain caterpillars that seem to resemble snakeheads.
But some species that are great models for mimicry, because of their harmful nature to would-be-predators, don’t have actually have a showy and colorful appearance.
Ant-mimicking jumping spider (Myrmarachne sp.) from Tambopata Research Center photographed by Paul Bertner.
Ants, for example, are often dominant insects in an environment. With their vast numbers, biting jaws, and painful stings, many animals quickly learn to stay out of an ant’s way or else face the threat of the colony.
Even the Biblical Solomon recognized the benefit of copying ants. He exclaimed, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise.” – Proverbs 6:6
And some species have had this very idea.
Many bugs and spiders are now known to look like ants. By doing so, they trick their would-be-predators into avoiding them for fear of being attacked by the colony. For example, a well-studied genus of jumping spider is so good at ant-mimicry that the entire genus was named Myrmarachne. Myrm is from the Greek word for ant (think of the Myrmidons led by Achilles in Greek mythology, resembling ants as they swarmed the beaches), and arachne from the Greek word for spider.
Just as Solomon was referring to an ant’s behavior, we now know that animals not only mimic the ant’s appearance, but also how they hold their antennae and how they move.
This is all very well and good if you want to trick visual predators into thinking you’re an ant. But what if you wanted to trick the ants themselves?
Although some ants are quite visual, most ants live in a world dominated by smells, which are known as pheromones. If they encountered an animal that simply looked like an ant but didn’t smell like an ant, the con artist would quickly be discovered.
It just so happens that some mimics trick the ants themselves instead of potential predators. These species may not look like an ant to you or me, but to an ant investigating the stranger, they are accepted as a member of the colony. These species have managed to fool the ants by copying their chemical pheromones.
But why, you ask?
Unfortunately for the ants, animals often want to trick them in order to gain valuable access to the nest to eat their eggs, such as some members of the spider genus Cosmophasis. Other species copy the ant pheromones to create an army of duped ants protecting and caring for the mimic’s every need, as is the case for certain Lycaenid butterflies.
You can see the colorful butterflies, jumping spiders, ants, and mimics in Peru’s remarkable Tambopata National Reserve.
So remember, things may not always be as they seem in the wonderful world of biodiversity. If it looks like an ant, smells like an ant, or behaves like an ant, it might just be a spider…
By Ash Card
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The lodge is located in the middle of the forest accessible only by boat. The experience was very unique and exciting. Service is great, and the fun part are the nature activities and tours the hotel offers for free. We had an amazing tour guide that had a lot of knowledge and was fun to spend time with. The rooms are totally open to the forest which is really cool the struggle is the there is no privacy at all in between the rooms, also food was pretty basic. All together a very unique experience. Read all
This hotel is the perfect blend of comfort and hospitality, with the natural experience. The hotel is reached by a hours boat ride from Puerto Maldonado, expertly organized and accomplished. Most staff are members of the local Esa Ejja community. The food is good and plentiful. Hot water is always available and lovely bedding features mosquito nets. There is of course no air conditioning (one side wall is open in rach room) and the electricity is off for a few hours at night affecting overhead fans, so I was glad to have brought a small battery powered fan for sleeping. But the best of the experience is the wildlife. Our expert guide Oscar Mishaja introduced us to nearly 100 bird species, along with caimans, river otters, poison dart frogs and capybara. A trip of a lifetime. Read all
Excellent experience overall— really kind and welcoming staff at every point of the journey. All transfers were well organized and smooth. Excellent and educational excursions all around the rainforest. Delicious food for every meal. We had wonderful guides- Freet and Alvaro. Enjoyed our time here! Read all
Unbelievable.... Magical Everything I have dreamed of since I was 8 years old but MORE Read all
We had a surreal experience at Refugio Amazonas. From the well organized transportation to the warm welcome, hospitality and the experience of living in nature - we loved it all. Huge shout out to our guide Boris who went out of his way to ensure we had a good experience and got to watch all kinds of wild life. The meals and cocktails were delicious. And even though this place is smack in the middle of the jungle there was super fast WiFi available. We made unforgettable memories. Read all
We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. Read all
We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. This is the only lounge available in Tambopata national park, and this eco lounge takes environment seriously. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. If you are a natural lover, you can’t miss this place Read all
Excellent and luxurious place, wonderful experience and our guide Boris was first class, he had a unique patience with my 8 year old son. An experience in the tropical rainforest that marks the life of its visitors. In addition to the scientific research that takes place in the place: a whole research center. Rooms: Very comfortable and luxuriou Read all
El mejor hotel para visitar la Amazonia peruana. Hotel eco turístico metido en medio de la selva, equipado para visitar y vivir la selva, su flora y fauna, en todas sus facetas. Todo incluido, con guías preparados y amables, resultó una experiencia increíble para mi familia. Dentro de las opciones no se debe perder el Canopy de 45 metros de altura para observar y escuchar la selva, así como el lago de las tres Chimbadas, lugar único para ver caimanes, nutrias gigantes, monos y aves exóticas. Recomiendo mínimo dos noches!!! Read all
Wunderbare lodge mit freundlichen Menschen. sehr persönliche guides, tolle Tourangebote und super kulinarische Verpflegung ! Wir wurden herzlichst von Caesar empfangen und unser guide JuanJo hat uns phantastische Dinge gezeigt. Wir können die lodge nur wärmstens empfehlen! Read all
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