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Why can a predator’s first encounter with an inedible animal be costly to that animal?

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Müllerian mimicry: butterflies — mimicry *Heliconius* butterflies demonstrating Müllerian mimicry, a form of mimicry where one or more species exhibit closely similar warning systems. In this case, wing patterning and coloration among the species appear very similar.

In the context of mimicry, a predator’s first encounter with an inedible or noxious animal can be costly to that animal because the predator must often learn to associate the prey's warning system—such as conspicuous coloration—with its unpleasant or dangerous qualities through direct experience.123

Because many predators are not born with an innate knowledge of which prey are safe to eat, they may attack an inedible animal to test its palatability. During this initial interaction, the animal may be injured or killed as the predator discovers its noxious nature. This learning process is essential for the predator to develop an aversion to the warning signal, which ultimately protects the remaining population of that species from future attacks. In some cases, if the predator is a slow learner or the warning signal is ambiguous, multiple encounters may be required, further increasing the risk to the prey.2341