Making oneself invisible - by Camouflage!

The word, camouflage was introduced to me when I joined N.C.C. (National Cadet Corps) at school. Then the ways of camouflaging practiced in battlefield were taught. Later I learned that animals also practice this camouflaging to evade a predator attack. Animals change their colors similar to that of their surrounding environment to become invisible!

Unresistible sweet Madras Thorn!

There is a tree that is liked by many animals, humans and insects. It is the Madras Thorn (Manila Tamarind, Sweet Tamarind, Pithecellobium dulce, 'Kodukkapuli' in Tamil). Goats are attracted by its leaves as they are tasty to them. Parrots, crows and squirrels find its pod as a sweet fruit. Children and adults too eat the pods as snacks. The pods that hang

Wonderful Peacock Flower Tree!

As a school going boy I know about a tree that bears beautiful flowers. This tree that was present in my school had its ground all strewn with its reddish yellow flowers. We used to chew these flower petals to get the sour taste out of them! ...

Descendants find their 'Roots'

Migration of birds for feeding and breeding are well known. These birds return back to their living places with their off- springs. The butterflies also do such migration; but there is a difference. In the migrated place they breed and bring up their generation; but they do not return back –they die there itself. Their next generation only returns to their original living place – without any guidance either from them or from anybody else! How is this possible? Do their generation have the replica of their brain to guide or do the generation have the ‘instinct’ (formed out of their parents’ past memory and experience) passed down to them genetically? Can any Zoologist or Genetics Scientist explain this wonder behavior of butterflies?