4 minute lesson
Masterful Mimics of the Natural World
Bugs that look like twigs? Mantises that look like dead leaves? Moths with snake heads for wings? Nature’s awe-inspiring ingenuity so often points to the fact that almost anything is possible!
When it comes to some of the most remarkable ways creatures have found to survive, the tactics of camouflage and mimicry that the insect and arachnid worlds use put the rest of the animal kingdom to shame. How is it that a moth can even come to look like a piece of bird poop? Or a spider like an ant?
To get one of the best explanations we’ve ever heard on how this all happens, we turn to this video from NPR’s YouTube science channel, Skunk Bear!
Why It Matters
Life has found a way to call almost every niche on this planet home. It’s a remarkable reminder of how interconnected ecosystems become as species compete and adapt.
These imposters of the animal kingdom are some of the most astounding examples of how evolution has enabled creatures to inhabit some of the most unique places on the planet! From the pressures of predation to the advantages of specialization, the competition to thrive has created some of the planet’s wildest creatures!
Look around and you can probably find a few examples of your own!
Let's Talk About It
Skunk Bear
Skunk Bear is NPR’s science youtube channel, exploring the secrets of the universe, the wonders of nature, and answering your science questions.