The Dark Cost of Being Toxic
The sequestration of plant toxins by monarch butterflies results in decreased visibility of warning signals. Aposematism in animals: the more toxic, the more striking the…
The sequestration of plant toxins by monarch butterflies results in decreased visibility of warning signals. Aposematism in animals: the more toxic, the more striking the…
Dr. Hannah Rowland and Dr. John Skelhorn explain how these defensive patterns on moth wings persuade birds that assaulting the insects is not worth the risk….
According to new research, butterfly wing patterns have a basic plan to them, which is manipulated by non-coding regulatory DNA to create the diversity of…
Findings highlight that novel complex traits, such as eyespots, evolve from gene networks that already pattern pre-existent complex traits in the body. Eyespots, the circular…
When we think of climate change, we often imagine how a warmer world will impact species, but a new study highlights the importance of changes…
The findings could inform the design of new materials such as iridescent windows or waterproof textiles. If you brush against the wings of a butterfly,…
The Xerces blue butterfly was last seen flapping its iridescent periwinkle wings in San Francisco in the early 1940s. It’s generally accepted to be extinct,…
This summer, if you see a butterfly with wings that are blue on top with orange spots underneath, you may have crossed paths with a…
Weather conditions shown to have big influence on migration numbers. A species of butterfly found in Sub-Saharan Africa is able to migrate thousands of miles…
Many animals have evolved camouflage tactics for self-defense, but some butterflies and moths have taken it even further: They’ve developed transparent wings, making them almost…
Butterflies have evolved to produce a strongly scented chemical in their genitals that they leave behind after sex to deter other males from pursuing their…
Described by the ‘father of zoogeography’ and co-author of the theories of evolution and natural selection, the species hasn’t been reexamined since 1866. An over…
An analysis of high-speed raindrops hitting biological surfaces such as feathers, plant leaves and insect wings reveals how these highly water-repelling veneers reduce the water’s…
Some butterflies have ultra-black wings that rival the blackest materials made by humans, using wing scales that are only a fraction as thick — here’s…
Researchers discover that butterflies have specialized behaviors and wing scales to protect the living parts of their wings; nanostructures found in the wing scales could…
An international team of scientists working with Heliconius butterflies at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama was faced with a mystery: How do…
Scientists have discovered why climate change may be contributing to the decline of some British butterflies and moths, such as Silver-studded Blue and High Brown…
For hundreds of years, butterfly collecting has often inspired a special kind of fanaticism, spurring lengthy expeditions, sparking rivalries, and prompting some collectors to risk…