Day 7 - Red and Black

 4th of July

A Common Mormon female I spied

Her mimicry skill cannot be denied
She disguises as a toxic Rose
Right under your very nose
Predators give her a berth a mile wide. 

She nectared on the ixora so red 
Moving  from flower head to head
I watched in delight 
Her fluttering flight
Black, red and white wings outspread. 

She could be Cyrus, Stichius  and Romulus
The disguises of female Papilio poly-tes 
She seems to dwarf 
the male of one morph
And all this she does with no fuss!

*******


Papilio polytes- Common Mormon female in Romolus morph, where it mimics the poisonous Crimson Rose

Refer Batesian mimicry for more fascinating stuff.





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