Video reveals how a moth can become invisible

Sandrine Ceurstemont, editor, New Scientist TV

If you think Where's Waldo? (or his British cousin Wally) is difficult, try finding a moth hidden on a tree trunk. A new video captured by Changku Kang and colleagues from Seoul National University in South Korea shows how moths use a clever invisibility trick to blend in seamlessly with their surroundings.

When moths of two species are released near a tree, they fly onto the bark. But instead of staying where they land, they move around to find a spot where their wing pattern matches the background.

The team has yet to determine how the moths are able to choose the perfect hiding place. The behaviour, as well as the evolution of their wing colour patterns, allows them to conceal themselves from predators.

To read more about this research, check out our recent Picture of the Day post. Or for other camouflage videos, see how skin patterns reveal what cuttlefish see? or watch split body patterns help cuttlefish lure females.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/22063c93/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cnstv0C20A120C0A80Cvideo0Ereveals0Ehow0Ea0Emoth0Ecan0Ebecome0Einvisible0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fonline0Enews/story01.htm

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