I know you are there....somewhere!

  Here lately, I have been pondering the survival tactics of critters.  Here on the Bayou, there is a plethora of critters so I have the opportunity to observe things first hand.  One of the things that always impresses is the art of camouflage.  Critters are masters at this.  Most folks will walk past dozens of critters without even noticing them.  Not that I can spot a lot of them but. at least, I look for them!  It has become sort of a game with me to spot camouflaged critters.  Moths blend well with tree bark. Grasshoppers and katydids are sometimes impossible to spot among foliage.  Frogs blend well with logs and mud.  AND...crabs can hide among the bits of debris that washes in on high tide.

  Fiddler crabs, especially, are adept at hiding in the midst of debris lines.  A tiny crab can blend so well with its surroundings that it is easy to go so far as to step on them when hiking.  Fiddler crabs will oftentimes "freeze" as a method of defense if the flight instinct mode is not feasible.  Freezing in place will protect the crab from certain predators.  A bird perched high in a tree is attracted to movement so if the crab stops, it becomes well hidden.  The same goes with most predators.  They sense motion.  This draws attention to the prey.  Let the motion cease and the prey often blends in with its surroundings.  

  I first noticed the tiny crab in the debris line only because it moved.  Once it froze in place, it took minutes before my eyes focused on the crab's shell even though I was only inches away.  The coloring had served the crab well.  Had I been a hungry predator, there was a high chance that I would have given up on finding the crab again.  The camouflage was just that good.  Even afterward when looking at the photograph, it took me several minutes to find the crab. Check the first picture.  Can you spot the crab?  The second picture has been cropped a good bit and, even then, the crab is pretty well camouflaged!   Critters are amazing!