LITTLE SECRETS IN THE WINGS OF BUTTERFLIES

Considering the kind of environment in which butterflies flourish, it is expected that they would find flying around difficult. This is because their wings are so soft and light that even little dust particles or water droplets can make their wings heavy for them.

Surprisingly, though, the butterflies are mostly observed clean and dry. What’s the big secret? Let’s consider the Giant Blue Morpho butterflies.

Like other butterflies, these Morpho butterflies have wings that look flat and feel extremely smooth. However, research confirms that they are structured in layers, in step-by-step pattern. In addition to the step-by-step arrangement, each layer has grooves or open lines, just like gutters dug in the ground. This efficient design makes it possible and easy for any dirt or water moisture to fall away.

To understand this more clearly, think of this illustration: What could happen if a small ball the height (or diameter) of a CD is kept on top of roofing sheets that are about 2 cm in width and are arranged on top of one another so that they form a kind of stairs. And what if the sheets were covered with soft goat hair and still form the grooves on the roofing sheets? The fact that the ball will definitely roll down the structure immediately reveals just how dust particles can’t remain on the wings of butterflies.

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GECKOS POSSESS PINS

“What for?” you may ask. After all, they could hurt someone or something, or they could even be hurt by their own pins. Amazingly, the pins are too tiny, soft and flexible to even hurt anyone or anything. That is why, if you’ve ever had a wall gecko climb on you, you would never see any scar on your body. The information you are about to read reveal the very reason gecko lizards can climb and walk on almost any surface. It was discovered that gecko lizards possess extremely tiny hairs under each of their feet. These hairs rise and flatten, and can be detached easily from surfaces because of the direction, or angle, in which they grow. These hair-like pins, more appropriately called setae , also have several smaller parts on each of them, making them look like ceiling brooms. The tinier hairs, which are more of fiber, are called spatulae . The setae are made of keratin_ the same material human fingers are made of. Due to their structure, size, mass number and the material with whic

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Here, we share information and discuss facts about living things that surround our beautiful planet. We will be sharing with you facts about animals and plants and, indeed, the interesting things about live sciences. I am Samuel Amarachi Ejiemenu, The Publisher of LAS Live Sciences.

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