Butterfly Wing Patterns

Study: butterfly wing patterns create motion illusions that foil predators

Researchers from the University of Exeter and University of Essex, publishing in Nature, found that butterflies' wing patterns combine with their flight to produce visual illusions that distort predators' perception of speed and direction. The team says this helps explain why few predators specialise in catching butterflies mid-flight, unlike moths, which are preyed on by many aerial hunters.