Zebra stripes evolved to confuse biting flies, not predators

For over a century scientists assumed zebra stripes were camouflage against lions. Field experiments instead show striped hides are far less attractive to blood-sucking horseflies than solid coats -- the flies fail to judge speed and distance near the stripes and rarely land. Painting striped patterns onto horses cuts fly landings dramatically.

— Tim Caro et al., The function of zebra stripes — Nature Communications, 2014