Overview

• Published in Science on September 25, the experiment standardized trials across six continents using mealworm-baited models tracked for eight days.
• No single defense prevailed everywhere, with the relative success of camouflage and warning coloration shifting with local ecological conditions.
• Predator competition emerged as the strongest driver, with warning signals performing better where predator pressure was lower.
• Warning coloration proved more reliable across sites—especially typical orange–black patterns—while camouflage was highly context-dependent and faltered in low light.
• Researchers note that habitat changes such as logging that alter light regimes and community composition could reshape which defenses succeed, warranting further study.