Anderson Joshua@anderson_joshua

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Ant-mimicking jumping spider

Predators that steer clear of ants can be fooled by a spider wearing the whole costume. Certain jumping spiders have gone in for narrow frames and a walk that reads as ant, and the finishing touch is the pair of front legs lifted up where antennae would be. Whether that act actually buys them safety is a maybe, since the thinking is that ant-averse hunters pass them by. Still, the animal underneath is no slouch: sharp vision and a serious jump are both in the toolkit. Nature's best survival tricks often turn up in the smallest creatures, and here the trick is pure illusion, built out of posture and movement. #NatureScenery

1h

Anderson Joshua@anderson_joshua

Follow

Ant-mimicking jumping spider

Predators that steer clear of ants can be fooled by a spider wearing the whole costume. Certain jumping spiders have gone in for narrow frames and a walk that reads as ant, and the finishing touch is the pair of front legs lifted up where antennae would be. Whether that act actually buys them safety is a maybe, since the thinking is that ant-averse hunters pass them by. Still, the animal underneath is no slouch: sharp vision and a serious jump are both in the toolkit. Nature's best survival tricks often turn up in the smallest creatures, and here the trick is pure illusion, built out of posture and movement. #NatureScenery

1h