Its unique black-and-white coloring helps the many-spotted tiger moth both stand out and blend in. Native to the western U.S., this moth may feed on mildly toxic plants like milkweed, taking the plant poisons into its own body as a natural defense against predators. Most often, the species' white body advertises "I taste bad" to birds who spot it flying in the air, says biologist Rebecca Simmons of the University of North Dakota. But when it comes to rest against a dappled background, like the one pictured here, Hypercompe permaculata's coloring also breaks up the outline of its body, allowing it to blend in and hide from birds that might not heed its white warning.

Art Wolfe