Page 50 - Allah's Artistry in Colour

The Misumena varia species of crab spiders seen on
the left can assume different colours ranging from
yellow to white, depending on the flower on which
they land. 17 The spider species seen above stops
moving only when the colour and configuration of
the plant are those best suited to hide it. 18

Some insect species protect themselves from their
enemies by means of group camouflage. For in-
stance, Phiatids, a species of tropical Hemiptera
found in Madagascar, has full and brilliantly coloured
wings. When they are resting on a tree trunk, as in
this photograph, they resemble an inflorescence. 19
This misleads the hunters that look for insects.

In the photograph on the left are two myri-
apods that have developed almost identi-
cal coloration to the plants on which they
live. In this way, they are protected from
their enemies. 20