In our last issue we explored some of the living creatures that blend in so exceptionally well with their surroundings that often a person can look directly at one and not even be aware it is there.
Many moths are examples of this. They look so perfectly like part of a tree branch, its foliage, blossoms or bark that even a bird might hop right by without seeing them.
Another interesting insect is called the walking stick. Remaining perfectly still on a bare branch, it attracts no attention. A person passing by would never realize that what looks like a dead twig is actually a living insect.
A gray tree frog is another example. This one can change the colors of its skin to look exactly like part of a log where it rests, even having similar mixed colors.
The green anole is a long-tailed little creature that looks like a lizard and can change color when necessary. Its home is among trees and grass-covered forest floors where it scampers in search of food. It is very difficult to see, even when in motion.
The Creator has provided many birds with colors that hide them. One example is the colorful woodcock and its chicks. Nesting on a low spot of ground, they all have speckled back and side feathers that look just like their surroundings. A person walking through the woods might unintentionally step on one if the bird did not startle him by jumping or flying out of the way.
Another unusual one is a large bird known as the bittern, which lives in swampy areas where tall grasses, cattail plants and similar vegetation grow high above the marsh. When sensing danger, the bittern squats on the ground but raises its head with its long, sharp-pointed beak and long, speckled neck straight up, remaining well concealed among the plants around it. If the plants are swaying in the wind, the bittern does the same with its long neck and head, swaying back and forth in perfect time with the plants.
One of the first things a mother deer teaches her white-spotted little fawn is to lie perfectly still on the forest floor and make no noise if an enemy comes near. This saves the lives of many fawns from hungry animals.
These are just a few more examples of the wonders of God’s care over His creatures. They, of course, can’t be expected to thank Him for providing so wonderfully. But when a boy or girl or grown-up learns of God’s very special love for them — as quoted in our opening Bible verse — how pleasing it must be to Him to hear our thanks for His care and love. Have you ever thanked Him?
ML-09/02/2007