Insect Camouflage

Grade Level 5^th–8^th

Lesson Overview

This lesson will introduce students to insect camouflage and mimicry. Camouflage and mimicry are adaptations some animals use as protection from predators. An animal that uses camouflage matches the appearance of other objects in its environment. It might look like a leaf, a twig, flower or rock. Animals that use mimicry use colors and markings to look like another animal or object that will be avoided by the predator.

Lesson

Set the Stage

 

One of the most profound survival mechanisms by insects involves the fascinating deceptive processes of camouflage and mimicry. This lesson on camouflage and mimicry will be assessed by KWL (What do they Know, What do they Want to Know, What have they Learned). The instructor will begin the discussion by asking the class to define "camouflage" and "mimicry." KWL sheets can be given to each student. The class can discuss the first two columns on the KWL sheets.

Students should be asked to research examples of insects that use camouflage and insects that use mimicry and list them on their "L" column of the KWL sheets.

Discussion

Insects are masters of camouflage and the most simple type of insect camouflage involves having body colors and patterns that help to conceal their bodies against specific backgrounds in their environment. Different types of insects imitate a wide range of natural objects. Some praying mantids are the color of shrubs and grasses, while other praying mantids are the color and shape of tropical flowers. There are insects that look like leaves, insects that look like sticks and moths that blend in with the bark of tree.

Caterpillars are particularly at risk from predators because they cannot fly. Camouflage helps many to stay well hidden. Caterpillars also use mimicry that is some of the most clever in all of the animal kingdom! The swallowtail caterpillar looks like a snake. The Eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillar looks like bird poop.

Class discussion can explore the types of camouflage used by humans.

Mimicry helps insects trick their predators into thinking they are a different animal or insect to help them survive. This "copycat" behavior can also be used to attract prey. There are three forms of mimicry. Batesian mimicry refers to two or more species that are similar in appearance, but only one of which is armed with spines, stingers, or toxic chemistry. The second species has no defense other than resembling the unpalatable species. Muellerian mimicry is a form of mimicry refers to two unpalatable species that are mimics of each other with conspicuous warning coloration. An example of this is the Monarch and Viceroy butterflies. Self-mimicry is a term for insects that have one body part that mimics another to increase survival during an attack. An example of this is the "eye-spots" that many moth species have. These large dark markings may momentarily startle a predator and allow the prey extra seconds to escape.

"Eye-spots" also help prey escape predators by giving predators a false target. A butterfly has a better chance of surviving an attack to the outer part of its wing than an attack to the head.

Group Activity

Camouflage Competition

Class is divided into teams. Each team will have an area (outside, in the classroom, the hallway, etc.) to "hide" their insects.

Each team receives 20 copies of a template of the selected insect. (Terminix graphics will provide pdf templates of insects to color and camouflage) Students will study their area and then color their templates to camouflage them to the environment in which they will "live."

Upon completetion of coloring and cutting out the insects, students will place them in the area for which their camouflage was designed. (In placing them at least ¼ of the insect's body has to be visible… i.e. they can't put it completely behind or under something.)

(A "Predator" and assistant must be chosen for each area) Once the camouflaged insects have been hidden the "Predator" is introduced—in nature this would be a sharp-eyed bird or a lizard.

The predator must stand 3 feet out from the area in which the camouflaged insects are hidden. She/he has 3 minutes to point out the insects that she/he sees from afar. As she/he points them out, the assistant predator collects them and places them in an envelope. She/he then has another 2 minutes to go in and collect any others that she/he sees.

The team with the most insects still hidden after the predator has hunted their area wins.

As a follow-up have students compare those that were captured and those that remained unseen. Can they find any patterns in the differences between those that were picked off first and those that were found later and those that survived the visit from the predator? (A Venn diagram or graphing can be used to show differences between the groups.) Students should also examine differences in the areas in which their insects were hidden to see if that had any effect on the outcome.