Greta oto, the glasswing butterfly, ranges from S. America to Texas.
They're one of a handful of terrestrial species that are truly *transparent*, neither scattering nor reflecting light. This aids in camouflage in any environment, an alternative to mimicry.
(📷: David Tiller)
They're one of a handful of terrestrial species that are truly *transparent*, neither scattering nor reflecting light. This aids in camouflage in any environment, an alternative to mimicry.
(📷: David Tiller)
Comments
How do they accomplish transparency? Through the use of nanopillars on their wing scales!
(📷: Eddy Van)
(🔬: Radwanul H. Siddique, KIT)
Now if we could just engineer this in humans, I could sneak out of work at 3 PM without my boss knowing.
Is there like a specific background you would use that's not white?
Butterfly wings, by comparison, can be 60-100 microns and are transparent at almost all angles.