Clever Defense Strategy - _TNY_3353
Despite this one not having sparkling iridescent colours, I happen to think it is a very pretty species. It's known as the Dirce beauty (Colobura dirce) and sometimes as the mosaic or even zebra mosaic.
These guys nearly always sit like this with their head pointing downwards and there is a clever reason for that.
Look at the tail end of the wings (ie the top part). Notice the blue and orange spot there? This is a defensive thing it has and the idea is that a bird or other predator trying to kill it will go for the head. Since this one's head is inconspicuous (and with the butterfly sitting upside down), the obvious point of attack is the vaguely head-looking part at the top - leading to a greater chance of the bird ending up with a mouthful of scales and the butterfly getting away with just minor wing damage.
Clever Defense Strategy - _TNY_3353
Despite this one not having sparkling iridescent colours, I happen to think it is a very pretty species. It's known as the Dirce beauty (Colobura dirce) and sometimes as the mosaic or even zebra mosaic.
These guys nearly always sit like this with their head pointing downwards and there is a clever reason for that.
Look at the tail end of the wings (ie the top part). Notice the blue and orange spot there? This is a defensive thing it has and the idea is that a bird or other predator trying to kill it will go for the head. Since this one's head is inconspicuous (and with the butterfly sitting upside down), the obvious point of attack is the vaguely head-looking part at the top - leading to a greater chance of the bird ending up with a mouthful of scales and the butterfly getting away with just minor wing damage.