Black-and-yellow stripes are a common warning coloration. Among a set of insects that possess black-and-yellow patterns are: -female wasps that sting
-male wasps that do not sting
-a tasty, harmless, and nutritious leaf beetle
-an acrid blister beetle that makes you sick if you eat it
-a harmless hover fly that sounds and looks like a bee
This assortment represents

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is a combination of cases promoting both Müllerian and Batesian mimicry.

Müllerian mimicry happens when multiple unpalatable species have similar warning coloration, and predators learn to avoid all of them equally because they are all unpalatable. The female wasp and blister beetle fit this category.

Batesian mimicry happens when a palatable species mimics an unpalatable one in order to deceive predators. The hover fly is an example of this, as it looks and sounds like a bee but is harmless.

Male wasps do not sting, but their coloration still serves as a warning to predators. The leaf beetle may not be explicitly mimicking anything, but its coloration still serves as a warning to predators that it may be unpalatable. So, this collection of insects is a mixture of both Müllerian and Batesian mimicry.

Black-And-Yellow Stripes Are a Common Warning Coloration