Poekilocerus pictus

Poekilocerus pictus is toxic to most predators due to cardiac glycosides it sequesters from its host plant, Calotropis (a milkweed family plant), but it is not directly dangerous to humans unless consumed. Its bright warning coloration—patterns of yellow, black, blue, and red—serves as aposematic signaling to warn birds and other predators of its toxicity.

The primary host plant of Poekilocerus pictus is Calotropis, particularly Calotropis procera (the giant milkweed or apple of Sodom), which is common across South Asia. The grasshopper feeds on the plant's milky latex, which contains toxic cardiac glycosides that the insect absorbs and stores in its body tissues as a chemical defense.

Poekilocerus pictus is distributed across South Asia, particularly throughout India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and parts of Bangladesh. It thrives in dry, open habitats where its Calotropis host plants grow abundantly, including wastelands, roadsides, and arid scrublands.

The vivid coloration of Poekilocerus pictus is a classic example of aposematism—warning coloration that signals to potential predators that the insect is toxic and unpalatable. The cardiac glycosides accumulated from feeding on Calotropis cause vomiting and other adverse effects in predators, so birds and lizards that have had a bad experience quickly learn to avoid insects displaying these bright patterns.