| An effective camouflage strategy is to resemble the common inedible objects found in a forest. This type of protection is especially common in the tropical rainforest, where insects blend in with the infinite variety of bark, twig, thorn and leaf shapes. | In temperate forests, camouflage becomes more difficult. Tropical forest plants look fairly similar all year, while plants in the temperate zone have very different appearances in the spring, summer, fall, and winter. For an insect to be effectively camouflaged through several seasons, it needs to be able to change its protective coloration. |
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Many birds, such as grouse, which spend a lot of time on the ground where they are vulnerable to predators have developed colorations and patterns which help camouflage them. Photo by Maya Walters. |
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[tropical forests] [plants] [temperate forests] [seasons]
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