Optical lattices on wings of Apatura butterflies

0435691 - MÚ 2015 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Krizek, G.O. - Hagen, G.M. - Křížek, P. - Havlová, M. - Křížek, Michal
Optical lattices on wings of Apatura butterflies.
Entomological News. Roč. 124, č. 3 (2014), s. 176-185. ISSN 0013-872X. E-ISSN 2162-3236
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA14-02067S
Institutional support: RVO:67985840
Keywords : photonic nanostructures * iridescence * optical lattices
Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics
Impact factor: 0.447, year: 2014
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.3157/021.124.0302

Optical microscopy of scales from the wings of the male butterfly Apatura ilia reveals parallel fibers with a spacing of about 710nm. These fibers, together with tiny transverse grooves, cause violet blue or blue iridescence due to interference of light on the wings, which normally have brown pigmentation. Here we establish the dependence of the sudden color changes on variable illumination and observation angle.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0239512