Glasswing Butterfly

[JasonW]

Nature throws up so many amazing designs and these glasswing butterflies are a prime example - this shot is wonderful!

http://www.fotoviva.co.uk/shop/Glasswing-Butterfly

The wings are transparent - no idea how that works!

[LPC]

Absolutely stunning!

[Catherine]

What a beautiful butterfly. I guess wing tissue can be transparent in the same way that our eyes are transparent.

The butterfly is beautiful, the photograph is a work of art.
Thank-you for posting it.

[platy]

The distribution of the structures on the wing surface are irregular which allows most light to travel straight through rather than being reflected back, thus the transparent look. Which is a pretty cool means for camouflage.
That image is doctored but still pretty.

[Catherine]

Quote:The distribution of the structures on the wing surface are irregular which allows most light to travel straight through rather than being reflected back, thus the transparent look. Which is a pretty cool means for camouflage.

That is impressive camouflage. It is hard to catch something that is so invisible.

[Tobi]

That is an absolutely lovely butterfly.

I have always liked Lacewings also. There are many of them in the UK. Their wings are also translucent. I remember the first time I saw one, when I was a child.
There is a picture of one here:

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/species/lacewing

[Catherine]

The Lacewings are beautiful. I have never seen one so I wonder if we don't have them in North America.

According to Wikipedia we have them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysopidae

They eat aphids so I should look for them around my rose bushes.

Butterflies and other flying insects are so beautiful. They are as pretty as the flowers and the garden looks empty without them.

[AnimalFamily]

How pretty!
We have those here in the midwest U.S.A..
Ironically, it was the cover photo on this month's local Conservation magazine.
Only here they call them "clear wings".
I like your name much better. Very classy! It does remind one of a stained glass window.

[Catherine]

They don't make it this far north. Or if they do, I have never seen one.
We don't have too many butterflies that make it here or at least not any more.

I agree glasswing is a prettier name.