The Magic Of Butterfly Wings
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:08am Under Коледни подаръци
You can love butterflies but you don’t want to just grab any old butterfly net and start swatting at them every chance you get. It’s important that you know a bit about butterflies – the quirks in their behavior, the delicate nature of their wings and bodies.
In other words, you need to respect the insect that you want to catch. Damage the butterfly’s wings and you’ve done it a real disservice.
Butterfly wings are really the central focus for most of us. They are the most visible aspect of the butterfly and so naturally catch our eye. We use them to identify and name the butterfly. But those lovely wing are pretty important for the butterfly as well.
For starters, butterflies don’t have two wings – rather, they have four. There is a pair of fore wings – usually the larger pair – and there is a pair of hind wings. These wings are attached to the butterfly’s thorax – the part of its body that contains strong muscles that move the wings back and forth.
When butterflies come out of their pupae, these wings are tightly folded and also damp. They appear darker than they are actually are. Slowly, the butterfly pumps blood into its wings, thus allowing them to expand through inflation and dry out. Once those wings are no longer wet, the butterfly takes off.
The designs on the fore wings differ from designs on the hind wings. We often think that butterflies are intensely visual, but in fact sometimes their wings are monochromatic to the point of being dull. However, many species of butterfly have ultraviolet patterns on their wings – these patterns are invisible to human eyes but can readily be seen by other butterflies.
Butterfly wings help to keep the butterfly hidden from its many predators. They can also be used to attract other butterflies for mating purposes.
Butterfly wings can also act almost like solar panels. Butterflies are cold-blooded, but their wings soak up the sun, spreading heat throughout the butterfly’s body.
So be careful when you’re out there catching butterflies. By all means enjoy them – but be careful not to hurt them!
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