Environmental Graffiti

The Cutest and Deadliest Frogs on Earth

For most animals, their colouring is not an aesthetic choice, but a matter of life and death. How an animal looks may send a message to its kin and its predators. But though some critters look good enough to eat, they can kill you with a single touch. These are the famous poison arrow frogs of South and Central America.

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Leaves that Literally Move by Themselves

Katydids are fascinating little buggers, er, bugs. More than 6,400 species exist so it’s not surprising they come in a range of shapes, sizes and colors, or that they have adapted to blend with their habitats to avoid becoming lunch. Leaf mimic katydids are the most adept at getting lost in the undergrowth. Their bodies have evolved to look just like dead, dying or discoloured leaves, and the longer they avoid detection, the better their disguise becomes.

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Scientists Solve the Mystery of the Caterpillar that Looks Like Bird Poo

Researchers in Japan have at last cracked the most ancient and mysterious of scientific secrets. Image by Harald Supfle That secret, of course, is how a baby caterpillar manages to look so much like bird poo.

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