Many animals present, in appearance as an ornament, designs that remember the shape of an eye. This phenomenon is very common in butterflies and in some species reaches an extraordinary perfection. The meanings of these drawings, which confuse predators, are at least two: the “TERRIFIC” and the “REVERSE OF THE HEAD”. In the first one the attacked butterflies react by opening their wings and showing showy and threatening “eyes”. In the second one, these drawings, associated with particular shapes of wings and tails (to imitate the antennae), indicate that the animal’s head is on that side, a not vulnerable area, on which any attacks can be done. The butterfly can thus escape with a little damage.

BATESIAN MIMICRY

The species can defend themselves from predators by toxic or deterrent substances. Sometimes they are imitated by other harmless species.Tthe latter, despite being defenseless, are avoided as they are mistaken for unappetizing species. in fact they often have the same color, the same shape and even the same way of flying or moving. this particular adaptation is called “Batesian Mimicry” from the name of the English naturalist Henry W. Bates, who in the last century was the first to describe it in some species of butterflies. the imitating species are called “mimes”, while those imitated because they are really unappetizing, are called “models”.

COBRA MOTH  – ATTACUS ATLAS

The drawings of these butterflies have various meanings. Among all, the most interesting is related to the edge of the wings. On them you can see the profile of a Cobra snake in an attack position. To copy fearsome and poisonous predators such as snakes is quite common and in this species it reaches truly exceptional levels. However, it is a Moth very interesting for other aspects such as the large size of the females that can approach 30 cm of wingspan (about a feet).

CRITICAL MIMICRY

It is one of the most widespread adaptations and consists in appearing as similar as possible to the surrounding environment. Many butterflies have a look quite similar at leaves, branches, stones or barks to be indistinguishable to the eye of potential predators such as birds, frogs, lizards and spiders. In case of moths, which when they are not active lie with open wings, cryptic colors and designs are on the upper part of the wings, on the contrary for daytime butterflies, which rest with closed wings, their camouflage is on the external part of the wings.

APOSEMATIC COLORS

Many animals defend themselves from attack by predators using toxic substances or deterrents contained in the tissues or secreted by particular glands. Associated with this “inedibility” we often find bright and showy liveries with the aim of helping predators to recognize and avoid these animals. Those liveries are called “Aposematics” or “Announcers” and often result from the combination of colors such as black, yellow and red, which ensure maximum visibility against the green or brown background of the natural environment. Insects, and especially butterflies, provide us with an excellent example of this strategy.

AMAZON OWL BUTTERFLIES

The designs on the wings of these butterflies seem to imitate a nocturnal bird of prey. These colors are a necessary protection as the owl butterflies stop for a long time on fruit in fermentation to feed. As far as is known, these physical characteristics serve as an effective method to go unnoticed by predators, or even to scare them. They seem bigger and more dangerous than they really are. However, butterflies preferentially fly at dusk when few predatory birds are around. The Latin name may perhaps refer to their active periods; caligo means “darkness”.