Insect Mimics in Vermont

Order	Family	Genus	Species &                      Hotlink to photos	Common Name	Type of Mimicry	Mimicry details
Coleoptera	Cerambycidae	Clytus	Clytus ruricola	Round-necked Longhorn Beetle	Batesian	Mimics yellow-jacket or paper wasp
Coleoptera	Cerambycidae	Cyrtophorus	Cyrtophorus verrucosus	Ant-like Longhorn Beetle	Batesian	Moves and looks like an ant.
Coleoptera	Cerambycidae	Megacyllene	Megacyllene robiniae	Locust Borer	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Coleoptera	Elateridae	Alaus	Alaus oculatus	Eastern Eyed Click Beetle	Self-mimicry	“eye spots” as visual deception.
Diptera	Asilidae	Laphria	Laphria thoracica	Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria	Batesian
Diptera	Syrphidae	Criorhina	Criorhina nigriventris	Bare-cheeked Bumble Fly	Batesian	Batesian mimicry. Bee mimic
Diptera	Syrphidae	Eristalis	Eristalis tenax	Common Drone Fly	Batesian	Batesian mimicry. Bee mimic
Diptera	Syrphidae	Eupeodes	Complex Eupeodes americanus	Long-tailed Aphideater Complex	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Diptera	Syrphidae	Mallota	Mallota bautias	Bare-eyed Mimic Fly	Batesian	Batesian mimicry. Bee mimic
Diptera	Syrphidae	Mallota	Mallota posticata	Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly	Batesian
Diptera	Syrphidae	Somula	Somula decora	Spotted Wood Fly	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Diptera	Syrphidae	Sphecomyia	Sphecomyia vittata	Long-horned Yellowjacket Fly	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Diptera	Syrphidae	Spilomyia	Spilomyia alcimus	Broad-banded Hornet Fly	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Diptera	Syrphidae	Spilomyia	Spilomyia fusca	Bald-faced Hornet Fly	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Diptera	Syrphidae	Spilomyia	Spilomyia longicornis	Eastern Hornet Fly	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Diptera	Syrphidae	Spilomyia	Spilomyia sayi	Four-lined Hornet Fly	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Diptera	Syrphidae	Temnostoma	Temnostoma barberi	Bare-bellied Falsehorn	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Diptera	Syrphidae	Temnostoma	Temnostoma excentrica	Black-spotted Falsehorn	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Diptera	Syrphidae	Temnostoma	Temnostoma venustum	Black-banded Falsehorn	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Diptera	Syrphidae	Temnostoma	Temnostoma alternans	Wasp-like Falsehorn	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Hymenoptera	Apidae	Anthophora	Anthophora bomboides	Bumblebee-like Digger Bee	Mullerian?
Hymenoptera	Crabronidae	Saygorytes	Saygorytes phaleratus	-	Mullerian	Mullerian mimics of social wasps
Hymenoptera	Ichneumonoidea	Megarhyssa	Megarhyssa greenei	Greene's Giant Ichneumonid Wasp	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps
Hymenoptera	Megachilidae	Anthidium	Anthidium manicatum	European Woolcarder Bee	Mullerian	Mullerian mimics of social wasps
Hymenoptera	Megachilidae	Anthidium	Anthidium oblongatum	Oblong Woolcarder Bee	Mullerian	Mullerian mimics of social wasps
Hymenoptera	Thynnidae	Myzinum	Myzinum quinquecinctum	Five-banded Thynnid Wasp	Mullerian	Mullerian mimics of social wasps
Lepidoptera	Hesperiidae	Epargyreus	Epargyreus clarus	Silver-spotted Skipper	Batesian
Lepidoptera	Nymphalidae	Danaus	Danaus plexippus	Monarch Caterpillar	Automimicry
Lepidoptera	Nymphalidae	Limenitis	Limenitis archippus	Viceroy	Mullerian
Lepidoptera	Papilionidae	Heraclides	Heraclides cresphontes	Eastern Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar	Mullerian
Lepidoptera	Papilionidae	Papilio	Papilio polyxenes	Black Swallowtail	Batesian
Siricidae	Hymenoptera	Tremex	Tremex columba	Pigeon Horntail	Batesian	Batesian mimics of social wasps

Aggressive Mimicry:

A predator mimics a harmless species to approach or lure its prey. For example, some insects can mimic the sounds of other insects to attract them as prey. Another example is some predatory insects that resemble ants to hunt ants or avoid predation by insects that avoid ants.

Self-Mimicry:

This type of mimicry, where one part of the body mimics another, is called self-mimicry.

Heliconius butterflies

Sometimes an animal’s best defense is to look like an inanimate object. There are insects that resemble leaves, thorns, and sticks among other objects which helps them hide from danger. Some katydids exhibit a striking example of homotypism resembling a leaf. Their elaborate wing veins complete the effect, perfectly mimicking the veins of a leaf.

Automimicry

Like the name implies automimicry is when an animal mimics itself or its own species. One form can occur when a part of the animal’s body looks like another part of its body. Monarch caterpillars have tentacles on the front of their bodies that help them feel around their surroundings. They have a second pair of tentacles on the back that can confuse small predators so they don’t know which end of the caterpillar is the head and which is the back, giving them a chance to escape if attacked.

Other types

We’ve just scratched the surface on a few different kinds of mimicry. There’s also more to it than meets the eye. Some animals can mimic sounds, smells, and even behaviors!