Butterfly wing. Close-up of the wing of a birdwing butterfly, Troides accus. The structure of the wing is like a roof, with coloured scales correspond

---

Butterfly wing. Close-up of the wing of a birdwing butterfly, Troides accus. The structure of the wing is like a roof, with coloured scales corresponding to the overlapping tiles. The scales are attached to the wing membrane by short stalks, which fit into tubular sockets. The colour of the butterfly's wing is determined by pigmentation of the scales and also by diffraction of light off the surface of each scale. Birdwings are the largest butterflies, and the sexes are differently coloured. They occur in southeast Asia.

---

Size: 5055px × 3485px
Photo credit: © CLAUDE NURIDSANY & MARIE PERENNOU/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: accus, animal, birdwing, butterfly, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, nature, scale, scales, troides, type, wildlife, wing, zoology