Beauty with a purpose
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14/02/1996
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Down To Earth
Butterfly and moth wings do seem to reflect the motto inspiring beauty pageants: 'beauty with a purpose'. The attractively coloured and designed wings make these cold blooded creatures not just beautiful but warm too.
Chitin, the material constituting butterfly scales acts as a thermoregulatory mechanism. The air gaps present in between are responsible for absorbing and reflecting sunlight. The thickness of the scales is also responsible for thermoregulation.
Chitin, the material constituting butterfly scales acts as a thermoregulatory mechanism. The air gaps present in between are responsible for absorbing and reflecting sunlight. The thickness of the scales is also responsible for thermoregulation.