Misfiring behavior

In biology, behavior is said to misfire when it is not successful in accomplishing the goal that evolution, by NATURAL selection, "intended" for it.

A prime example is brood parasitation by the cuckoo. The cuckoo lays an egg in a nest of another species, and the parents of that species nurture the egg as if their own, even extra special care due to its large size. This is because their behavior misfires into thinking it is their own egg.

Another example is the eyespots on moth wings (for example of the Polyphemus moth Antheraea polyphemus). Potential predators of the moth have learned or innately use the heuristic that two large spots are often the eyes of a possibly dangerous predator. The normally safeguarding behavior misfires and they avoid the potential meal instead of eating it.