Escaping from predators often demands that animals rapidly negotiate complex
environments. The smallest animals attain relatively fast speeds with high frequency leg
cycling, wing flapping or body undulations, but absolute speeds are slow compared to larger
animals. Instead, small animals benefit from the advantages of enhanced maneuverability in
part due to scaling. Here, we report a novel behavior in small, legged runners that may
facilitate their escape by disappearance from predators. We video recorded cockroaches …

Escaping from predators often demands that animals rapidly negotiate complex
environments. The smallest animals attain relatively fast speeds with high frequency leg
cycling, wing flapping or body undulations, but absolute speeds are slow compared to larger
animals. Instead, small animals benefit from the advantages of enhanced maneuverability in
part due to scaling. Here, we report a novel behavior in small, legged runners that may
facilitate their escape by disappearance from predators. We video recorded cockroaches …