vi DEFENCES OF INSECTS 223 



that the resemblance is doubtless to their immense 

 advantage. In many cases, however, their adaptation 

 is chiefly aggressive, enabling the spiders to capture 

 their prey. 



Turning to Aggressive Resemblances, certain car- 

 nivorous insects, as the Mantidce, are well concealed 

 by harmonising with their surroundings. This, 

 though to a large extent protective, also assists them 

 to creep upon, or to lie in wait for, their prey. 

 Aggressive Resemblance becomes of more than 

 ordinary interest when it not only screens an insect 

 from its prey, when it simulates some object pleasing 

 or attractive to the latter, and so induces its approach 

 it acts as a lure, and entices the unsuspecting victim 

 into the spot for convenient capture, into the very 

 jaws of death. Species of mantis, both from India 

 and Africa, are endowed with this dangerous 

 fascination. They have all the appearance of fine 

 flowers, things of special value to insects of vegetarian 

 tastes. They draw near, and of course are greedily 

 made away with by the seeming blossoms. 



Hymenopus bicornis, a mantis of great rarity, in- 

 habiting India and Java, in active pupa is an inimitable 

 representation of a flower. Colour, form, and attitude 

 all conspire to produce the remarkable deception (see 

 Fig. 42). These mantises may be white or pink. 

 The thighs of the four posterior legs are expanded 

 into broad pear-shaped plates, constituting the appa- 

 rent petals, and when the species is seated they are 

 spread out two on each side, while the fore-legs are 

 tucked out of sight under the thorax. There need 

 be not the slightest hesitation in stating that 



