Aug 1, 2017
I snapped this close-up of a green-veined white butterfly sheltering from the rain the other day. You can clearly see its 'scales' on the wings, the tiny overlapping rectangles like slates on a roof. These scales are incredibly strong, create the dazzling patterns and colours, and give much needed rigidity to the butterfly in flight. They are however steadily dislodged as the butterfly goes about its business, and this is what forms the 'dust' you see left behind on your fingers after you handle butterflies or moths.
