If starling eats monarch then why do viceroys imitate monarch? CLASS10TH
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If starling eats monarch then why do viceroys imitate monarch? CLASS10TH
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Answer:
Birds eat viceroy butterflies because they taste good to them, whereas monarch butterflies do not taste good to the birds. So the viceroys try to copy the monarchs to protect themselves from the birds.
Verified answer
Answer:
The Viceroy butterfly mimics the monarch butterfly to prevent being preyed upon by predators.
Explanation:
Even though starlings may eat monarch butterflies, viceroys still benefit from imitating them. This is because starlings are not the only predators of butterflies. Other predators, such as birds of prey and lizards, also avoid eating monarch butterflies because of their toxicity. By imitating monarchs, viceroys are able to reduce their predation risk from a wide range of predators.
Additionally, even if starlings do eat some monarch butterflies, they are less likely to eat a viceroy butterfly if they have recently eaten a monarch butterfly. This is because starlings learn to associate the monarch's orange and black wing pattern with bad taste. So, even if a viceroy butterfly is eaten by a starling, it is still more likely to survive than if it did not mimic monarchs.
Overall, the benefits of imitating monarchs outweigh the costs for viceroy butterflies. This is why viceroys have evolved to mimic monarchs, even though starlings may eat both species.
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