Visit the
Molecular Expressions Website

Galleria
Photo Gallery
Silicon Zoo
Chip Shots
Screen Savers
Museum
Web Resources
Primer
Java Microscopy
Win Wallpaper
Mac Wallpaper
Publications
Custom Photos
Image Use
Contact Us
Search
Home

Butterfly Wing Scale Digital Image Gallery

Glasswing Butterfly

As delicate as finely blown glass, the presence of this rare tropical gem is used by rainforest ecologists as an indication of high habitat quality and its demise alerts them of ecological change. Rivaling the refined beauty of a stained glass window, the translucent wings of the glasswing butterfly shimmer in the sunlight like polished panes of turquoise, orange, green, and red.

Native to Columbia, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, the glasswing butterfly is usually observed feeding or flying high in the subcanopy of the tropical forest in the Andes Mountains. Members of the species, scientifically classified as Godyris duillia, frequently inhabit elevations of approximately 1,400 meters. Most of the butterflies are large and feature colorful transparent wing panels, but some specimens are a beautiful smoky brown.

Well adapted to the Andean climate and elevation, glasswing butterflies seem incessant in their zigzagging pursuit of flower nectar. Members of the species do not like to rush their meals and may spend hours on a single flower bloom while nectaring. A particular favorite of adult glasswing butterflies is the flowering jungle cucumber vine. Glasswing caterpillars, however, are not such dainty eaters. The larvae rapaciously munch on the leaves of plants, including the deadly nightshades, oleanders, and dogbane. From the poisonous food plants, the glasswing larvae gather toxic alkaloids, which make them unpalatable to predators.

As human populations grow, butterfly populations tend to shrink. Thus, the future of the exotic glasswing butterfly is uncertain. As part of the growing international trade of butterflies, specimens are often taken from the wild, but may also be cultivated for sale on butterfly ranches. Intensive farming with agrochemicals and increased ranching in the Andes greatly threaten the glasswing species and its associates. Other activities that make room for man, such as extensive logging and coal mining, also devastate the crucial habitat of the glasswings.

Glasswing Butterfly Images in Brightfield Illumination

Wing Vein - A translucent area of a glasswing butterfly wing surrounds a prominent vein in this brightfield image. Numerous, tiny spines extend from the wing's surface.

Glasswing Butterfly Images in Reflected Light

Transparent Wing Panel - The transparent wing panels of a glasswing butterfly have an unusual, thorn-like surface. This high magnification image beautifully displays the shiny surface extensions.

Wing Scale Pattern (High Magnification) - Orange and black wing scales bordered by the spiky extensions of a glasswing's transparent panel are displayed in this photomicrograph. Reflected light shimmers from their surfaces.

Wing Scale Pattern (Medium Magnification) - This image is a decreased magnification of the previous photomicrograph. The view of the transparent wing panel appears moss colored, rather than clear.

Wing Scale Pattern (Low Magnification) - A low magnification image of the previous photomicrograph is displayed here. The characteristic glass-like appearance of the glasswing butterfly's scales is beautifully captured.

Contributing Authors

Cynthia D. Kelly, Shannon H. Neaves, Laurence D. Zuckerman, and Michael W. Davidson - National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, 1800 East Paul Dirac Dr., The Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32310.


BACK TO THE BUTTERFLY WING SCALE IMAGE GALLERY

BACK TO THE DIGITAL IMAGE GALLERIES

Questions or comments? Send us an email.
© 1995-2022 by Michael W. Davidson and The Florida State University. All Rights Reserved. No images, graphics, software, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders. Use of this website means you agree to all of the Legal Terms and Conditions set forth by the owners.
This website is maintained by our
Graphics & Web Programming Team
in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Last Modification Friday, Nov 13, 2015 at 01:19 PM
Access Count Since January 21, 2003: 31650
Visit the website of our partner in introductory microscopy education: