"Joy and pleasure are as real as pain and sorrow and one must learn what they have to teach. . . ." -- Sean Russell, from Gatherer of Clouds

"If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." -- Helyn D. Goldenberg

"I love you and I'm not afraid." -- Evanescence, "My Last Breath"

“If I hear ‘not allowed’ much oftener,” said Sam, “I’m going to get angry.” -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from Lord of the Rings

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Saturday Science: Chapter 2: Is It a Bug or a Flower?

I didn't want to let this one wait, because it's too interesting.


Via AmericaBlog.

One of the commenters there came up with the information that it's Hymenopus coronatus, from Malaysia and Indonesia. It does sort of look like an orchid, although I was thinking more Encyclia than something like Dendrobium.

Mimicry as a strategy in support of both predation and mating is fairly widespread, and some of the most intriguing practitioners are orchids. (It's worth noting that some species mimic not only appearance, but scents.)

The shoe on the other foot, so to speak:


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