RHH's photos with the keyword: mimic

I purchased this as a Trichoceros species from Peru and seems to fit best the description of Trichoceros hajekiorum. It has a rambling habit with the small pseudobulbs spaced at 3-4 cm intervals, each carrying a tiny leaf at the top of the pseudobulb and with larger sheathing leaves around the pseudobulb. The 8 cm flower spikes come from the base of the pseudobulb and carry two flowers. Its flowers are designed to mimic an insect, probably a fly of some kind and this pollination is effected.

This miniature species from Taiwan is an insect mimic - the hairy purple and green lip mimics a wasp or bee that pollinates the flower when attempting to mate with it.

Photographed in the butterfly house at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, this butterfly is native to Central America. The reason for the name "Owl Butterfly" is obvious, but there is disagreement between those who believe that the eye-spots are a form of mimicry that deters predators or a decoy that diverts attack away from the body of the insect.