The Inconspicuous Side - _TNY_1451
The small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) hibernate through winter as an adult butterfly and this shot shows two of the adaptations evolution has bestowed upon them.
First, the colour scheme on the ventral side is quite discreet and unlike the orange uppper side it is designed to blend in with tree bark and such to avoid detection when they hibernate.
Secondly, that wavy edge of the wings look like that because it leads away condensation better than a straight edge would.
The Inconspicuous Side - _TNY_1451
The small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) hibernate through winter as an adult butterfly and this shot shows two of the adaptations evolution has bestowed upon them.
First, the colour scheme on the ventral side is quite discreet and unlike the orange uppper side it is designed to blend in with tree bark and such to avoid detection when they hibernate.
Secondly, that wavy edge of the wings look like that because it leads away condensation better than a straight edge would.