Ok, this kind of thing truly freaks me out.

[John Backlund]

How can this be?

The 'eyes' on this moth's wings even have simulated light reflections on the pupils!

And then there's the defensive 'snake head' developed on this species of caterpillar, again, complete with light reflections on the 'eyes'.

Ok, this butterfly is just disguised as a leaf, but dang if it's not a very convincing bit of natural trickery...

 

[Brad Pittiful]

there is a snake whose tail is like a spider...the tail moves around like a spider and the spiders arms even move...birds fly in to get spider and wham..snake gets bird

 

[BigDaddyLH]

 

[Hodgo88]

How can this be?

Survival of the fittest? The ones that had unconvincing camo got eaten!

 

[Toto'sDad]

How can this be?

The 'eyes' on this moth's wings even have simulated light reflections on the pupils!
View attachment 1100711

And then there's the defensive 'snake head' developed on this species of caterpillar, again, complete with light reflections on the 'eyes'.
View attachment 1100712

Ok, this butterfly is just disguised as a leaf, but dang if it's not a very convincing bit of natural trickery...

View attachment 1100713

You are a veritable wheelhouse of knowledge!

 

[bowman]

I know that look in the OP. It’s the look I had on my face one night when I walked into my room and was suddenly face to face with my female roommate, naked, coming out of my bathroom. Seems that her shower malfunctioned so she borrowed mine. I wasn’t home when she stepped into it, but I sure was when she stepped out of it. We both literally didn’t say a word, just burst out laughing.

 

[John Backlund]

 

[John Backlund]

You are a veritable wheelhouse of knowledge!

Yes, I know a little about a whole lot.

 

[John Backlund]

That butterfly has zero awareness of a creature such as an owl, has zero awareness that an owl is a predator and it's perceived presence will likey scare other birds or small furry creatures that may harm the insect.

Where did those owl eyes come from? What is the mechanism at work here?

The butterfly didn't consciously develop them, but there they are.

I know where some will say how they got there, but I don't buy into that idea, though there is definitely something going on here that is at an entirely different level than I can comprehend.

It's all absolutely fascinating....and rather unsettling at the same time.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

That butterfly has zero awareness of a creature such as an owl, has zero awareness that an owl is a predator and it's presence will likey scare other birds.

Where did those owl eyes come from? What is the mechanism at work here?

I know where some will say how they got there, but I don't buy into that idea, though there is definitely something going on here that is at an entirely different level than I can comprehend.

It's all absolutely fascinating....and rather unsettling at the same time.

Evolution doesn't require awareness

 

[John Backlund]

Evolution doesn't require awareness

Obviously, but how can unawareness create this?

Something, somewhere, somehow, must have had an awareness that owl eyes, texture, and coloration, reproduced in such realistic detail, would protect this insect from attack.

Or not.

 

[Peegoo]

there is a snake whose tail is like a spider...the tail moves around like a spider and the spiders arms even move...birds fly in to get spider and wham..snake gets bird

Then there's this.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

Obviously, but how can unawareness create this?

Something, somewhere, somehow, must have had an awareness that owl eyes, texture, and coloration, reproduced in such realistic detail, would protect this insect from attack.

Or not.

Moth predators are aware of their own predators, owls. Colouring that resembled eyes would spook moth predators and those moths would be more likely to procreate. Over time it would become a race between moths with eye-like spots and the spookiest would win and procreate. Now do that over millions of generations.

I'm no biologist. One would do a better job explaining it, like....

 

[Hodgo88]

Obviously, but how can unawareness create this?

Something, somewhere, somehow, must have had an awareness that owl eyes, texture, and coloration, reproduced in such realistic detail, would protect this insect from attack.

Or not.

I feel as though you're looking at it as though this moth sprung from some predecessor moth with zero owl like features on his wings

Not millions of years of trial and error and non-owl faced moths getting eaten

Also - odd to me that this freaks you out, but not the crazy biological photoreceptors you're using to view the moth, or the gigantic self-aware brain between your ears that's thinking about the moth. Compared to either of those, some markings on a moth is peanuts!

 

[BigDaddyLH]

I feel as though you're looking at it as though this moth sprung from some predecessor moth with zero owl like features on his wings

Not millions of years of trial and error and non-owl faced moths getting eaten

Also - odd to me that this freaks you out, but not the crazy biological photoreceptors you're using to view the moth, or the gigantic self-aware brain between your ears that's thinking about the moth. Compared to either of those, some markings on a moth is peanuts!

That's another great thread idea: Things That Freak Me Out

 

[Hodgo88]

I'd start here. Human history is filled with people being freaked out by nature and filling in the blanks with nonsensical explanations, this book is a good collection of examples where superstition reigned supreme until a more logical explanation was found through scientific methods.

It turns out that loud boom in the sky isn't a guy hurling lightning bolts at us, nor is the Earth sat upon an infinite recursion of turtles.

 

[Mouth]

Obviously, but how can unawareness create this?

Something, somewhere, somehow, must have had an awareness that owl eyes, texture, and coloration, reproduced in such realistic detail, would protect this insect from attack.

Or not.

The butterflies that looked MOST like the scary predator survived more than the ones that didn't.

Repeat millions, billion, etc ? times.

It's as weird and cool as life itself. How about that butterflies exist at all or they get enough from eating leaves to live and turn from a worm into a butterfly? Dude, my hands are huge.

 

[Dostradamas]

Roll the dice enough times and every single number comes up eventually.

I find the opposite, it gives me hope for our species.

 

[Swirling Snow]

That's another great thread idea: Things That Freak Me Out

Enough things freak me out as it is - I really don't need proven suggestions!

 

[Hodgo88]

Eyespot (mimicry) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Here's a whole bunch of info about how certain genes influence the size, spacing, location and color of the spots.