Butterflies are very delicate creatures. Because of their very thin wings, they are greatly affected over minimal changes in temperature.
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… muscles in the thorax must be warm so that the insect can flap its wings fast enough for takeoff. But because the wings are so thin, they heat up faster than the thorax and can rapidly overheat.
Fortunately, they just have the right tool to prevent their wings from overheating — a state-of-the-art heating system built-in in their bodies.
New thermal images of butterflies show that living parts of the wing — including veins transporting insect blood, or hemolymph, and scent patches or pads that males use to release pheromones — release more heat than surrounding dead scales, keeping the living areas cooler.
Check out how butterflies maintain their wing temperatures over at ScienceNews.
Nature never ceases to amaze me.
(Video Credit: Science News/ YouTube)
Source: neatorama