Page 54 - Allah's Artistry in Colour

In the daytime, or during
the hours when predators
are most active, the majori-
ty of mimetic animals re-
main immobile. Even the
slightest movement could
betray their whereabouts.
The sensory apparatus of a
predator is extremely sensi-
tive to movement. For in-
stance, this Brazilian
grasshopper is indistin-
guishable from the blades
of grass upon which it has
landed. 25

Pictured to right is a stick
insect. Stick insects cam-
ouflage themselves in or-
der to escape their preda-
tors. Mimetic ability, how-
ever, is not confined to
adult insects in myriapods;
the eggs are also camou-
flaged. On the ground, they
look very much like veg-
etable seeds. 26 It is impos-
sible for a living creature to
create colours in its body
so as to be the same as its
environment or to make its
shape resemble that of an-
other species. Allah, Who
is their Creator, has given
these features to all camou-
flaging creatures.