AInsects are thought to have evolved about 400 million years ago. During this long period a huge range of different forms have evolved, many of them so successful that roughly three out of every four animals alive today on our planet is an insect.
One way to guarantee success in life is to avoid being eaten, and the insects shown here have different ways of doing this. The caterpillar shown in A has markings that make it resemble a snake. Many caterpillars with such markings even show behaviours that mimic those of snakes, such as rearing back and striking at animals that threaten them (see http://tinyurl.com/ljsf83k). The caterpillar is harmless, and eventually transforms into a nectar-feeding moth.
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