Walking leaf is king of disguise

15 April 2009 - 02:00
By unknown

Camouflage is a disguise used by animals or plants to hide themselves from their enemies. And there is no better camouflage in the animal world than that used by an insect known as the walking leaf. This creature of disguise, which lives on the island of Sri Lanka, near India, spends its life in trees and shrubs, feeding on leaves at night and resting during the day. To help it blend in with the leaves and hide from its enemies, nature has given it a set of green wings that are shaped and ribbed exactly like the leaves of the trees in which it lives.

Camouflage is a disguise used by animals or plants to hide themselves from their enemies. And there is no better camouflage in the animal world than that used by an insect known as the walking leaf. This creature of disguise, which lives on the island of Sri Lanka, near India, spends its life in trees and shrubs, feeding on leaves at night and resting during the day. To help it blend in with the leaves and hide from its enemies, nature has given it a set of green wings that are shaped and ribbed exactly like the leaves of the trees in which it lives.

The back of this insect has broad wings with vein-like markings that fold over in the shape of a leaf. These wings have yellowed edges that resemble a leaf that has been nibbled by an insect. Its legs, too, have leaf-like growths over them, resembling smaller leaves. When the wind blows, it wiggles its body, taking on the appearance of a leaf being shaken by the wind.

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