When you're not at the top of the food chain and can't rely on your brains or muscles to avoid being eaten, you come up with other tricks. The animal kingdom employs all sorts of defensive mechanisms, and one of the most remarkable is mimicry.
The lichen bush cricket, Markia hystrix, is a master of effective camouflage. Lichen growth on trees is the perfect hiding spot for this insect, which blends seamlessly with its surroundings.
This cricket lives in South America among lichen growths and feeds on them too—beyond that, not much is known about it. At least we managed to spot and film it. 🤷♂️
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