Butterfly Wing Scale, One Mutant Scale Amongst the Black Scales.

[colinbm]

Butterfly Wing Scale @ 100x Magnification.

Showing one mutant scale amongst the black scales.
I guess this is a clear colourless scale that has a regular grating pattern to give this rainbow effect ?

[Nate]

That's very interesting, Is this common on other wings you've imaged?

[colinbm]

Thanks Nate
This is all very new to me, My goal is to see something of the structure that makes iridescence, in insects etc.
This is on a piece of wing from a black butterfly wing, with blue spots, that I have been using to make this photomicrography set-up.
Most of the wings scales are black, but amongst the black are some yellow scales & this rainbow scale seems to be all alone.

A scientist on another forum said this, " this scale isn't a mutant but is part of the structure to provide nuances to the colors of the butterfly. "
As I photograph more of these wing scales We will see what else shows up ?

[photoni]

they are impossible images for me, fantastic.
it would be nice to have an enlarged perspective or even the photo and the name of the whole butterfly

thanks

Toni

[Nate]

3 hours ago, colinbm said:

A scientist on another forum said this, " this scale isn't a mutant but is part of the structure to provide nuances to the colors of the butterfly. "

That makes sense. So instead of all black, with these rainbow and yellow scales we might see a different color effect or reflection on the wing when we see it in the wild at a non macro or a normal viewing distance.

[colinbm]

The rainbow scale seems to be the only one on this piece of wing.
Wider photos coming soon.
 

[colinbm]

@Nate @photoni
Here is a larger piece of the Blue Tiger Butterfly's wing @ 4x.