How does that saying go????

Imitation is the .... easiest way to stay alive!!!!

Out and about (oot and aboot if you're not Canadian) collecting research material today. Sadly the grounds crew at the airforce base mowed 75-90% of one entire population. Aaaarrrggghhhh!! Oh well, they'll be back next year.

Anyway, enough whining over mowed plants. At the beginning of the summer one of our department members (we'll call him guy that buys out his teaching load with research grants - envious? bitter?? me??) has started studying the evening primrose moth. This is a critter that feeds on the nectar of evening primroses, but also lays eggs in the unopened buds, and then the larvae devour the developing seeds.

Several weeks ago I found one, but only because it was bright pink on the yellow flower (image on the left). As biologists we learn quite early that most things are pretty smart, but this moth seemed pretty stupid. Why not be yellow????

Today, as I walked the edge of the highway, I thought I saw another evening primrose moth on a flower. As I got closer I realized that this flower was long past open, and the petals were starting to whither (image on right).

So, do you see what I see? The adult moth, as well as the larvae I'm told by Dr. I-Don't-Like-to-Teach, are both bright pink. So my theory is they mimic the decaying petals so as not to be snatched up by birds. I guess that makes them smarter than birds, and gives me a little less brain space to store stuff, because this is a keeper!!!