Mimicry abounds in the Amazon rain forest. Many species of harmless insects have evolved to look like harmful species in an attempt to ward off potential predators. This species of erebid moth (genus "Cosmosoma") resembles a stinging wasp. It is one of the more common species I've encountered at cloud forest light traps. Yanayacu Biological Station and Centre for Creative Studies, Ecuador.
These moths were lured to a white sheet with a bright light the night before this photo was taken. The yellow and black-dotted moths are in the family Geometridae, subfamily Ennominae, genus "Pantherodes". The other moths are in the family Erebidae, and one of them is a wasp mimic.
The ground layer of the rain forest is dark, and some plants have adapted to the low light conditions. The leaves of this ground-dwelling species have a three-dimensional surface which results in more light-gathering capacity. This adaptation allows the plant to gather sufficient light to survive.
