Velvet ants share warning signals with the neighbours | @GrrlScientist

North American velvet ants are one of the world's largest complexes of mimics. Although these beautiful insects produce an intensely painful venom, neighbouring species still mimic each other's many warning signals, a trait that effectively protects them all from predators

A team of American scientists report they've discovered of one of the world's largest complexes of mimics, New World velvet ants. These brilliantly-coloured insects produce an intensely painful venom, yet neighbouring species still resemble each other so closely that they are barely distinguishable, an unusual trait known as Mi1/4llerian mimicry.