The original
While the butterfly has a beautiful blue coloring, it doesn’t actually have any pigment to make it look that way. In fact, the blue morpho uses structural color to get its particular shade of blue. Blue is actually an extremely rare color in nature. These butterflies have scales that overlap, refracting light similar to a prism. So, when the light hits the wings, it is refracted against the scales and comes off as blue. Blue Morpho caterpillars eat compounds that are poisonous to humans.
The issue
Blue morphos are severely threatened by deforestation of tropical forests and habitat fragmentation.
The evolution
A new species of butterfly emerged. The Cithaerias Perspicuus butterfly developed a resistance to the toxic chemicals that were polluting its environment. It could now feed on electric car batteries thanks to its ability to break down and detoxify harmful chemicals. It not only provided the butterfly with a new source of energy. But resulted also in having crystallised and colourful wings. As people began to realize the butterfly’s unique ability to break down and detoxify toxic waste, they started to see the potential for a new, sustainable solution to the problem of electric car battery disposal.
The series
This visual is part of the entomologic series where you can see more animals visualised. If you want to know more about the project go here. To buy this specific artwork or others, digitally or as print as a gift or to hang at home, visit the shop here.
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