Insect Mimicry: Why Insects Look The Way They Do

The first of three programs in our Spring Speaker Series. The programs are free and open to all. 

Insects face two fundamental challenges every day, both captured in a single word: FOOD—how to find it, and how to avoid becoming it.

Insect appearance is rarely accidental. Color, shape, posture, and even behavior are often products of natural selection—evolved strategies for survival and reproduction. One of the most fascinating of these strategies is mimicry, where one species evolves to resemble another organism or object.

During this presentation several display cases of real insects will be shared to show various forms of mimicry. These insects will illustrate warning coloration as well as those that mimic warning coloration.

About the Speaker:

Michael Turell recently retired as a Principal Investigator at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), where he served for more than 30 years. His research focused on factors affecting the ability of mosquitoes to transmit various arboviruses.

He evaluated the capacity of selected arthropods to transmit pathogens including Rift Valley fever, eastern equine encephalitis, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile viruses. His work encompassed both extensive field studies—conducted in Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Senegal, Kenya, the Republic of Korea, and Uzbekistan—and laboratory studies. In addition, he has conducted research on the development of vaccines for several mosquito-borne viruses and the development and evaluation of antigen and RNA detection assays.

In his spare time, he has dedicated more than 30 years to youth education as an advisor to a 4-H Entomology Club, formerly known as The Bug Patrol. He has also served on staff at the National Scout Jamboree since 1993, teaching the Insect Study Merit Badge at every Jamboree during that time.

The Spring Speaker Series is underwritten by Grace and Robert Brown.
Additional support in part by Marge Kiersz, Lucinda D. Potter, CPA, and SEK CPAs & Advisors, and by our Today’s Horizon Fund contributors: The Nora Roberts Foundation; the late Alma W. Oyer; APX Enclosures; Don Gibe and Nancy Erlanson; and the family of the late Carolyn Terry Eddy, with daughters Connie Fleagle & Kim Larkin.