Colour in nature – practical uses that can help us

Plants often use colours in their leaves and flowers to directly communicate and attract insects and animals to ensure that they are pollinated and their seeds dispersed. Other plants often use colours to deter would be predators.

Animals also use colour to attract or deter but more noticeably also use colour to create illusions and deception through camouflage. Especially handy if trying to avoid predators like a lizard or trying to be an effective predator like a snake or tiger.

Other animals also communicate by changing colour to convey intended actions and responses. A chameleon is the famous example and communicates this way with potential mates and potential predators.

These techniques, learnt from nature, can also be used by us in art and design, especially architecture, to communicate ideas and messages.

Hope you enjoyed this post, just continuing our recent theme on colours.