According to indigenous beliefs Morpho, the blue butterfly would bring good luck.
The sight of the Morpho butterfly fluttering through the rainforest is an unforgettable experience.
Our travel agency chose this superb iridescent blue butterfly as its name and logo. At the time of the agency's creation, we were looking for a name, and it was then that the Morpho butterfly passed delicately between the founding members. The agency's name was then an obvious choice.
First of all, it's important to note that the Blue color is only observed on the inner part of the Morpho.
It's a metallic, ever-changing reflection of blue. However, if we look through the wings of the Morpho butterfly against the light, we see the eye-shaped patterns (ocelli) on the other side of the butterfly's wings. The blue color is no longer so obvious. This side is actually transparent.
Conversely, if we shine the light on the inner side of the wings, the metallic blue color will appear, and will vary depending on the lighting and the angle at which we look at the Morpho's inner wings.
These ocelli are designed to deter predators from attacking them. Some scientists believe that the presence of the metallic blue color is designed to scare off predators. It acts like a flash of light, contrasting with its camouflage, as the butterfly takes flight. This stuns the predator, or at least diverts its attention.
Their sexual dimorphism shows that the blue color is brighter in the male than in the female. Similarly, in Costa Rica, the blue part is more extensive in species on the Caribbean side than in those on the Pacific side.
The blue color of the Morpho butterfly
What's most impressive about this butterfly, apart from its size, is its iridescent blue color.But where does this color come from? How is it created?
First of all, it's important to note that the Blue color is only observed on the inner part of the Morpho.
It's a metallic, ever-changing reflection of blue. However, if we look through the wings of the Morpho butterfly against the light, we see the eye-shaped patterns (ocelli) on the other side of the butterfly's wings. The blue color is no longer so obvious. This side is actually transparent.
Conversely, if we shine the light on the inner side of the wings, the metallic blue color will appear, and will vary depending on the lighting and the angle at which we look at the Morpho's inner wings.
How is this possible?
This phenomenon is callediridescence. In general, we observe colors through the absorption of light by pigments. For example, to observe the color blue, an object will have absorbed every other color in the light spectrum EXCEPT blue. We would then see this object as blue. But it will appear the same blue color (with no noticeable variation) whatever the angle of view (disregarding cast shadows). For the iridescence of the Morpho butterfly, the phenomenon is different. The inner surface of the wings is covered with tiny scales, forming a transparent wall so thin that it acts as an interference filter. The color reflected depends on the thickness of this thin transparent film. The blue-metallic colors of Morpho's wings are therefore not due to the absorption of light by pigments present on the wings, but to the presence of transparent scales that reflect light waves in such a way that the wavelengths (around 0.4 micro-meters) corresponding to blue light (and its variations) are those reflected.The outer face of Morpho
The outer surface of the Morpho butterfly's wings is much more discreet. In fact, while the iridescent blue dazzles, the dull brown color of the outer surface has more of a camouflage role. And that's what it's all about. To differentiate a moth from a butterfly, one criterion is often used:"The butterfly lands with its wings closed, while the moth lands with its wings open.On the closed wings of the Morpho butterfly, several ocelli (eye-like circles) stand out, 7 to be precise (3 on the front and 4 on the back). Want to find out more about Morpho's blue color? This video takes stock.
These ocelli are designed to deter predators from attacking them. Some scientists believe that the presence of the metallic blue color is designed to scare off predators. It acts like a flash of light, contrasting with its camouflage, as the butterfly takes flight. This stuns the predator, or at least diverts its attention.
Their sexual dimorphism shows that the blue color is brighter in the male than in the female. Similarly, in Costa Rica, the blue part is more extensive in species on the Caribbean side than in those on the Pacific side.
