Natural selection
Selection acts on expressed traits of individuals, while populations evolve across generations. Mutations and recombination supply variation; selection changes how successfully variants are passed on. Adaptations are context dependent: a trait favored under one condition can be costly in another. Directional selection favors one end of a distribution, stabilizing selection favors intermediate phenotypes, and disruptive selection favors extremes. These patterns require evidence about survival or reproduction, not a story about what organisms wanted.
If a heritable camouflage allele helps insects avoid predation and leave more offspring, its frequency can rise. A single insect does not evolve better camouflage because it feels exposed.
Survival is one component of fitness, not the entire definition. Surviving without reproducing contributes no alleles to the next generation.