Activity: Protective Coloring

• Overview

This exercise allows you to observe how camouflage can protect insects from predators.

• Materials

Four slices of bread

Food coloring: red, blue, green

Cookie sheet(s)

• Activity

Preparation: On the day before activity, break each slice of bread into 20 pieces, keeping them separate. Leave one slice of bread (pieces) white. The other three will be colored.

To color bread pieces: mix together 1/4 cup water and 10 drops of food coloring (red, blue or green). Soak the pieces of bread in the food coloring/water mixture. Spread the pieces onto a cookie sheet and allow them to air dry overnight.

Instructions:

Select an area outdoors with short grass and where birds have been known to visit.

Choose four areas about 6 feet apart, and place the bread in a circle of about 12 inches in diameter (one color per circle).

What do you think will happen to the bread?

Leave the bread in place for 4 hours. Then pick up any remaining pieces.

Count the number of pieces for each color of bread. Which bread pieces were consumed? Were there more pieces left of any color? The students should see that more of the blue, red and white pieces were eaten, while the green ones were not as popular. The green was camouflaged in the grass and more difficult for the birds to see.

• Wrap-up

You should see that more of the blue, red and white pieces were eaten, while the green ones were not as popular. The green was camouflaged in the grass and more difficult for the birds to see.