There have been a few times in the last week where I've just kind of
wanted to disappear. The week ended and I'm still here, and that means
I won, but it did get me thinking about camouflage, so I decided to
post these.
1. Do not disturb. Napping.
The
simplest way to camouflage yourself, of course, is to naturally be the
color of your surroundings. To demonstrate, I bring you a jaguar:
(Photo credit: snappybex)
2. Stealthy Guards
Example 2 of how being the same color as your surroundings can be useful.
(Photo credit: Donna62)
3. Lying in wait
If they don't see the web, they probably won't see the spider either.
(Photo credit: dolorix)
4. Which is which?
Of
course, being the same color as your surroundings isn't always enough.
That's what actually looking like something else is for. Case in
point: there's a leaf in one picture and an insect in the other here.
(Photo credit: Hendrik-Jan Greivink)
5. Find the Frogfish
(Photo credit: Jenny Huang)
6. Sticky!
If
you're a harlequin ghost pipefish, not only do you look like the plants
you live in, but you can send a fairly clear "do not touch" signal to
those who do see you. So essentially, you have a twofer.
(Photo credit: Nick Hobgood)
7. Who's that?
There's
only one leafy sea dragon in this picture. The one on the left is a
reflection. In the wild, leafy sea dragons hang out around seaweed and
blend right in.
(Photo credit: Andrea Baldassarri)
8. Another leafbug
Wait a minute... that leaf can't be dead, it's walking!
(Photo credit: ToddinNantou)
9. Lots of legs to hide
If
you have the ability to do so, perhaps the best way to become invisible
is to actually shape yourself into your surroundings. Yes, there is an
octopus in both pictures. And it's the same octopus in both pictures.
(Photo credit: sheyneg)
10. You still don't believe me, do you?
Well, then, I bring you video proof of how exactly octopuses do their thing.
11. Lesson four: work with what you have.
Can't change your shape, but have a lot of pebbles? No problem!
(Photo credit: Valerie Renee)
12. Camouflage can grow on you.
Some
species of crab take pieces of coral and plant them on their shells.
Instant camo, as long as the crab isn't moving. This photographer
caught the crab moving around atop his burrow.
(Photo credit: Nick Hobgood)
13. Don't tread on me!
The lesson: when all else fails, you can still cover yourself.
(Photo credit: l33tminion)
14 and 15. The Final Lesson
If you are a soft, furry domestic animal, camouflage is cute!
(Photo credit: ClintJCL)
(Photo credit: Malingering)
Want more animals? Have some giraffes. Or if you want to get back to nature, there's pictures of the moon and snow as well.
