Why do zebras have stripes?

1. 1

   Lue says

   Zebras live where there are lots of biting flies. Scientists watched flies buzz around zebras and horses. The flies came close to both, but they landed on the zebras much less often. Instead they zoomed past or bumped into the stripes. So the stripes seem to help keep biting flies away.

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   Checked against How zebra stripes disrupt flies' flight patterns (UC Davis)

2. 2

   Why do stripes muddle the flies?

   A fly's eyes see the world as a blur. From far away, a zebra just looks like a big animal to land on. But up close, all those black and white stripes seem to dazzle the fly, so it can't steer in for a neat landing. Scientists even put striped coats on horses, and the flies missed those too.

   For ages 6–9
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   Checked against How zebra stripes disrupt flies' flight patterns (UC Davis)

In Lil' Phil, reaching the bottom of this wonder earns a sticker for Lue's collection.

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