Eli5 How do animals and insects get so specific with their camouflage?

Question

Like dry leaves or shapes of animals. How do they know what to mimic??

In: 283

Answer 1

Let’s pretend you’re an animal that eats bugs.

Do you see all the green bugs hiding in the grass? No?

How about all the purple bugs hiding in the grass? Yes?

Boom, you eat all the bugs you can see. Which happen to be the purple ones and you leave the green ones alone.

Now there are only green bugs left hiding in the grass. Voila! Camouflage.