Welcome to the wonderful world of mimicry, in which animals adapt over time to develop novel features that allow them to appear like something they are not. Whether with their fake eyes or pretend horns, these snake-mimic caterpillars are able to ward off many a predator—which is a handy trick to have when you are a slow-moving, bite-sized bundle of protein!
8 Spectacular Caterpillars That Look Like Snakes
The dark green head and face of a red Helen caterpillar sitting on a green leaf.
wiljoj / Getty Images
Found in the forests of India and southeast Asia, in its larval state, the red Helen swallowtail caterpillar looks like an ominous green snake. The caterpillar has another defense as well. When irritated, it can produce a two-pronged hornlike defensive organ called an osmeterium that puts out a foul-smelling liquid to deter predators. At maturity, that same snake-like caterpillar transitions into a beautiful swallowtail butterfly. In its butterfly state, the red Helen swallowtail is mostly black in color, with distinctive white spots and red details on its wings.
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24 November 2023
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