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Scales play an important part in the natural history of Lepidoptera. Scales enable the development of vivid or indistinct patterns which help the organism protect itself by camouflage, mimicry, and warning. Besides providing insulation, dark patterns on wings allow sunlight to be absorbed and are probably involved in thermoregulation.
The body or 'blade' of a typical scale consists of an upper and lower lamina. The surface of the lower lamina is smooth whereas the structure of the upper lamina is structured and intricate. Scales are attached to the substrate by a stalk or 'pedicel'. [1] The scales cling somewhat loosely to the wing and come off easily without harming the insect.
Lepidoptera (/ ˌ l ɛ p ɪ ˈ d ɒ p t ər ə / LEP-ih-DOP-tər-ə) or lepidopterans is an order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths.About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organisms, [1] [2] making it the second largest insect order (behind Coleoptera) with 126 families [3] and 46 superfamilies ...
Closeup of the scales of the same specimen. High magnification of the coloured scales (probably a different species). Electron microscopic images: A patch of wing: Scales close up: A single scale: Microstructure of a scale: Magnification: Approx. ×50 Approx. ×200 ×1000 ×5000
While the butterflies form a monophyletic group, the moths, which comprise the rest of the Lepidoptera, do not. Many attempts have been made to group the superfamilies of the Lepidoptera into natural groups, most of which fail because one of the two groups is not monophyletic: Microlepidoptera and Macrolepidoptera, Heterocera and Rhopalocera, Jugatae and Frenatae, Monotrysia and Ditrysia.
For most adult butterflies, including the small tortoiseshell butterfly, nectar is one of the main sources of nutrients. In order to obtain the nectar, the butterfly must be able to recognize distinct floral aromas and colours. The small tortoiseshell butterfly is able to differentiate between various flowers through visual signals. [16]
The wide-angle blue reflection property can be explained by exploring the nanostructures in the scales of the morpho butterfly wings. [9] These optically active structures integrate three design principles leading to the wide-angle reflection: Christmas tree-like shaped ridges, alternating lamellae layers (or "branches"), and a small height ...
Scale bar 1 cm. [3] Phoebis sennae , the cloudless sulphur , is a mid-sized butterfly in the family Pieridae found in the Americas . There are several similar species such as the clouded sulphur ( Colias philodice ), the yellow angled-sulphur ( Anteos maerula ), which has angled wings, the statira sulphur ( Aphrissa statira ), and other ...