Animal coloration : an account of the principal facts and theories relating to the colours and markings of animals / by Frank E. Beddard.

  • Beddard Frank E. (Frank Evers), 1858-1925.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Animal coloration : an account of the principal facts and theories relating to the colours and markings of animals / by Frank E. Beddard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    belonging to the genus Sesia. Not only arc their wings nearly bare of scales, which are so cliaracteristic a feature of the Lepidoptera, and from which indeed their very name has been derived, but the colours of the body resemble those of wasps, bees, and hornets. These stinging Hymenoptera are not, however, the only insects which the Sesiidfe superficially imitate. Several of the smaller species—for example, 8. tipuli- /ormis*—ai'e by no means imlike flics. When basking in the sun upon the leaf of a currant bush, 8. tipuliformis, might easily be ])assed over, even by a collector of little experience, as a fly. This would seem decidedly disadvantageous to the moth, or, at least, not positively advantageous. The curious likeness which certain water flies show to moths is, if anything, probably disadvantageous to them, though it is of course difficult to decide these matters offhand. In any case, the brown opaq[ue wings of the water fly must render it more conspicuous than if the wings were transparent, and the conspicuousness is not quite marked enough to allow of the use of a theory of warning coloration. Mimicry not always Deceptive. Mr. Poulton found that the bee-like appearance of 8esia fuciformis and 8. bombyliformis did not in the least impose upon a lizard, to which he off'ered one of these insects. It was eaten without hesitation or caution. These two insects are sometimes removed from the other Clearwings and placed * Mr. Wallace has, however, pointed out that the resemblances of Resia tipuUfm-mis are rather with a wasp, belonging to the genus Odynerus. Eogenhofer has, however, lately {Verhandl Zool. Bot- Gesellschqft, Wieh, Bd. xxv.) stated that Sesia tabaniformis mimics a fly, Crr/a conopoides, which is found about the same time on trunks of poplar.
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