Butterfly wings can serve a variety of different functions, enabling them to fly, hide, startle and fool predators, warm up, identify each other, and last but not least, choose mates. They do this in a myriad different ways but certain general patterns emerge. For example, in butterflies which can rest with wings folded upright, the…
Tiger beetles (Cicindelinae) are strikingly beautiful predatory insects which come in a bewildering variety of stunning colours: iridescent, metallic greens, reds, blues and so on. Researchers have speculated about the function of these gorgeous colours and have come up with theories to do with crypsis (blending in), disruption by iridescence (dazzle!), mimicry (trying to look like something…
The Silver Y moth, Autographa gamma (Linnaeus) is an immigrant to the UK, coming here to feed, breed and fly away again each year. It rarely stays over winter; it’s just too cold here for its liking! In reality, we (the United Kingdom) are just a stopping off place on a seasonal journey which takes…
Ray Cannon's nature notes 