Inchworm Games

Isaiah 40:8
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

We have looked at many plants and animals that use different forms of camouflage to keep from being noticed. Some don’t wish to be noticed so that they can surprise their prey, while others don’t want to be noticed so they can avoid becoming prey. However, what happens when both predator and prey encounter each other in full camouflage?

The predator in this drama, witnessed by a naturalist at the edge of a desert, is a yellow crab spider. The spider was waiting on a yellow flower that made him nearly invisible. The potential prey is an inchworm beneath the same flower. The inchworm was tearing off bits of the yellow flower petals and sticking them on its back.

Properly camouflaged, the inchworm then worked his way toward the top of the flower where the spider waited. The spider felt the movement and ran around the edge to see whether lunch might be on the way. However, when the spider got around the edge of the flower, he saw nothing. He didn’t even notice the camouflaged inchworm on which he was standing! The spider then returned to the center of the flower, outsmarted by the inchworm who went on about his business.

Our wisdom would have said that the inchworm should try to run when he noticed the spider. However, the wisdom given to him by the Creator allowed him to continue about his business on the flower. This offers us a good illustration of how following the Lord’s wisdom often requires us to reject our own.

Prayer: Dear Father, I know with my mind that You are far wiser than any human being. Forgive me for those times when I have applied my own wisdom to my life instead of Yours. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Ref: “A predator’s parlor games.” National Geographic, Mar. 1980. p. 396. Photo: Inchworm -Courtesy of Mila. GNU Free Documentation License.