Phymateus saxosus
| Distribution: | Africa, Somalia, Madagascar & India |
| Size: | 110mm wingspan |
| Diet: | Milkweed plants |
P.saxosus feeds on highly poisonous milkweed plants (Pervillaea venenata) and their vibrant red wings and yellow abdomen are an aposematic warning to predators not to eat them. They’re also able to secrete a toxic chemical, which emanates from their thoracic joint.
Stealing toxic substances from your food is more efficient that producing it yourself, and there are several examples of insects that do just that on this site.
This illustration marked my transition from Rebelle (an incredible natural media simulator) into Procreate (the defacto illustration software for iPad), so saw a slight transition in my style. On a practical level, this meant I could now draw anywhere I wanted on my iPad, rather than being tethered to my Wacom & PC, which was a nice change.
Take a closer look…
