Defensive mimicry

Defensive mimicry is when an animal or insect looks or acts like something else to protect itself from being eaten by a predator. It's like wearing a really good disguise to hide from someone who might want to hurt you.

Let's say you're a fuzzy caterpillar and your predator is a bird. You know birds love to eat caterpillars, so what can you do to protect yourself? You could try to run away or hide, but birds have good eyesight and would probably find you quickly. Instead, you decide to pretend to be a poisonous snake. You puff up your body and stick out your head like a snake and make hissing noises. Birds are afraid of snakes, so they'll likely stay away from you!

Some other animals that use defensive mimicry are the hoverfly, which looks like a bee or wasp but can't sting, and the octopus, which can change its skin color and texture to resemble the ocean floor or a rock to blend in and hide from predators.

In summary, defensive mimicry is when animals or insects pretend to be something else to protect themselves from being eaten or harmed. It's like a really good disguise that fools predators into thinking they are not a tasty snack!