Can You See Me?

Io moth

It has always interested me in some animals' ability to blend in with their environment so that they can barely, or not at all, be seen.  This natural camouflage that many have is really remarkable.  Or another example is it's  disguise to look like something else, perhaps threatening to a predator.

The io moth, Automeris io, comes to mind as a good example.  Look at the picture here at what appears to be two large eyes on its wings.  And what is most astounding is that there are two large eyes complete with eyebrows and even the appearance of reflections of light on the "pupils" of the eyes.  This is truly amazing.  Look at the moth upside down and it looks like some weird animal's head.  The io moth is best example of animal mimicry that I know.   It's no wonder that a bird would think twice before attempting to eat such a scary-looking thing. To me it is a little owl-like in its appearance, which songbirds would certainly stay away from.

I found these wing under my outside security light.  At first I thought they were from the io moth, but on closer inspection, I see they aren't.  The closest one I could find in my insect field guide is the Polyphemus moth, Antheraea polyphemus.
named after Polyphemus, the one-eyed giant in Greek mythology.  I must do some more research.

There is a great little amphibian and every time I see it, I marvel at its ability to blend in with the green leaves.  It is the American green tree frog, Hyla cinerea, which is active just after a rain.  It is about 6 inches long and when it calls, it is a rather hoarse sound for such a little creature.  If you didn't know differently, you might think it is much larger.  It sounds a little like a bull frog, but not nearly as deep.  The males do the calling to announce to the females that they are ready to mate.

I took this picture the other morning when I heard it in a magnolia tree in my yard.  I went out to the tree and stood really still and waited for it to call again before I could located it.  I have noticed that animals which use camouflage will let you get a lot closer to them because, they believe they can't be seen. 

This frog is easier to see than the killdeer above because he didn't quite match himself to the correct shade of green of the leaves, but did a pretty good job. The frog in the first picture is easily seen, but not as much so in the second.  Can you see it?  It's in the middle of the picture.

Literature says that the American green tree from is found in South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana, but I have seen them here in NC many times.  I believe it is the state amphibian for both Georgia and Louisiana. 

A couple of days ago I rode my motorcycle over to the church I attend and saw one of the killdeer I wrote about before.  I was beside a pebble walkway and the killdeer ran to it and stopped.  It blended into the background so well I had to look carefully to see it.  In this picture you may not be able to see it, but it's there.  It is standing next to the cement border and slightly turned away from you, just a little below the concrete seam.  See if you can find it.

The killdeer is there but hard to find

A couple of summers ago I was picking blackberries near my house in a very dense thicket of briars and weeds when I heard something move near me.  I knew it was a snake of some sort, but we have copperheads around here, and although I had boots on, I didn't want to stand near  it.  So I stood really still and looked for it but couldn't make out a thing.  The ground had dead leaves on it,  and a snake's color and patterns can look like those.  I knew it wasn't a black snake because they really stand out.

It then made a slight movement and I saw its shape emerge from the brown-mottled field of leaves.  It was a rather large copperhead, A. contortrix, - a pit viper, and there is no mistaking them.  During most of the year, their heads are of a copper color and are triangular shaped, which indicate that they are venomous.  They are a beautiful light and darker brown browns.  It quickly moved away from me and I was a bit nervous, even though copperheads are not that dangerous and are not really quick to bite, unless you step on one.  It seems they had rather avoid a confrontation, for which I am very glad.

I wouldn't kill a copperhead or even a rattlesnake out in the woods or fields away from my house.  They are more beneficial to us than they are harmful.  North Carolina has the dubious distinction of having the most venomous snake bites annually.  The reasons for most snake bites are carelessness and handling.

When I am out and about  in thick areas like I mentioned, I will make a lot of noise and stamp the ground with my foot occasionally and any snake around will usually leave.  They have no sense of hearing, but they can feel vibration on the ground.  I think they can judge the size of something by the vibration it makes when it walks and they wouldn't want to get trampled by a cow or horse.