I think the danger is in not anthropomorphizing... we tend to think that these creatures simply exhibit hard-wired responses to their environment. If a non-human behaviorist looked at us I think they'd write off our behaviors as similarly simple hard-wired responses given our environments.
Praying mantises tend to show this off particularly... when I photograph them, they're always aware of where I am, tracking me with their eyes and the motion of their heads, and as I move the camera lens closer, they reach up playfully towards it as if to grab onto it (I never let them though :)
Too many times I've seen an insect stop and evaluate me, trying to figure out who or what I am. I'm also sure that some insects, butterflies especially, can tell when I am looking at them and they'll move when they see me look away.
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I think the danger is in not anthropomorphizing... we tend to think that these creatures simply exhibit hard-wired responses to their environment. If a non-human behaviorist looked at us I think they'd write off our behaviors as similarly simple hard-wired responses given our environments.
Praying mantises tend to show this off particularly... when I photograph them, they're always aware of where I am, tracking me with their eyes and the motion of their heads, and as I move the camera lens closer, they reach up playfully towards it as if to grab onto it (I never let them though :)
Too many times I've seen an insect stop and evaluate me, trying to figure out who or what I am. I'm also sure that some insects, butterflies especially, can tell when I am looking at them and they'll move when they see me look away.
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