That was somewhere between a guess and a metaphor, but it helped her to think about it. - James S. A. Corey

Like the roaches and the rats, ants had learned to live with their human neighbors without much trouble. When the concrete of human cities spread across the globe and half the animals on Earth were on endangered lists, no one had worried about the ants. They were doing fine, thanks, and spilled fast food was just as plentiful and delicious as dead forest animals had once been.
Adapt or die.

Emily," Drummer said, "do you know the one thing I am absolutely sure won't fix any of our problems? Another committee.

If Miller had ever been called upon to describe her, the phrase deceptive coloration would have figured in.