The beauty of butterflies has always attracted people - bright, fast, diverse, they are rightfully considered one of the most interesting insects in appearance. However, they can be not only very pleasing to the eye, but also very interesting to study.
Scientific work
For example, a new study by Columbia Engineering and Harvard University showed the critical physiological importance of suitable temperature for the proper functioning of insect wings and found that they elegantly regulate the temperature performance of their wings using both structural and behavioral adaptations.
Structural features
“Butterfly wings can be considered vector light guide panels with which insects are able to accurately determine the intensity and direction of sunlight. They can respond quickly enough without the need to use their organs of vision, ”says Nanfang Yu, an assistant professor of applied physics at Columbia Engineering.
A team of scientists used their experience in biology and optics to make a large number of discoveries. By carefully removing the flakes of the wings to be able to peer inside, and staining the neurons inside, the biologists learned that they were filled with a complex network of mechanical temperature sensors. Throughout the existence of a flying insect, living wing tissues are actively supplied with a combination of circulatory and tracheal systems.
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In addition, the researchers discovered a “wing heart” that beats several tens of times per minute in order to effectively supply the wing with hemolymph.
