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…
What looked like a population of a common butterfly species turned out to be a whole new organism, and, moreover – one with a very…
New research focuses on the wings of the black butterfly (Pachliopta aristolochiae), which are covered by micro- and nanostructured scales that harvest sunlight over a…
The more energy a creature uses, the more free radicals and other unstable, cell-damaging molecules its body produces. In many cases this can shorten the…
