Insect wing colors

A new identification approach For conservators who work with insect
collections or may encounter insect wings used as decoration:

Until now, the wing colors of many flies and wasps were dismissed as
random iridescence. But they may be as distinctive as those of
butterflies and beetles.

Researchers found that surface variations in chitin filtered out the
iridescence. Remaining colors proved to be stable, and were visible
from almost any angle. They differed consistently between species
and sex.

The colors are most evident against a dark background. Against a
white background, which has been the standard procedure for studying
insect wings, they are invisible.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/01/insect-wing-color/

Lisa Mibach


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:34
                Distributed: Thursday, January 13, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-24-34-003
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