What a difference a day makes. If you have four flappy wings and come out in the daytime, you’re the subject of endless romantic artwork and jewelry. If you have four flappy wings and come out at night, you’re swatted with a sock. The primary difference between what we call butterflies and what we call [...]
A couple weeks ago I posted about how butterfly evolution proceeds at different rates on the top and bottom of the wing. After all, each surface serves a different purpose, visually. So they respond to different environmental pressures. Now a friend has brought my attention to a butterfly whose evolution took a massive shortcut: It’s invisible [...]
The boring side of butterfly wings? And the bright side? Two different uses. And two different rates of evolution! Hadn’t thought of either one, but that’s why we have scientists. To review: When butterflies are just hanging out, resting, or sleeping, or perhaps warming up, they close their wings. (Oops — another thing I [...]
