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Lady Luck
Lady Luck: To many birds, beetles seem tasty. Ladybugs don't. So, when a bird draws near, golden tortoise beetles disguise themselves. The beetles turn orange-brown, and dark spots appear on their backs. If the beetle's lucky, the bird will be fooled—and look somewhere else for a snack.

Photographs by Dr. Edwin M. Barrows
© 2005 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.