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At 4:41 PM -0300 8/2/13, Nancy P Dowd wrote:
>I wonder when/why they do uncover their underwings?
It's a predator avoidance technique, Nancy. Based on startling a
predator, sometimes called "flash and conceal," the idea is that a
predator finds the moth with its basic black and white pattern, the
moth flashes open its forewings revealing the bright colour. The moth
quickly closes its forewings again and now the predator is now
looking for something brightly coloured. It may also have some
purpose in mating or courtship.
This is the same method technique used by many butterflies that are
camouflaged on the undersides. If you've ever noticed, the tip of the
forewing which sticks out past the hindwings (viewed from underneath
or while the wings are closed over the back) is also camouflaged but
the part of the wing that is hidden by the hindwing often has bright
red, orange or pink. When startled the butterfly will quickly flip
its forewings forward, revealing the bright hidden colour, then hide
it back under the hindwing.
Phil
--
Phil Schappert, PhD
27 Clovis Ave.
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imaginaturestudio.ca
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"Just let imagination lead, reality will follow through..."
(Michael Hedges)
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