HOW EFFICIENT IS A BUTTERFLY WING IN SOLAR ENERGY ABSORPTION?

The wing of a butterfly is designed to absorb light quickly and keep it warm during cold weather.

Emerald swallowtail

The scales on butterfly wings are arranged to form microscopic honeycomb-like holes into which ridges with an inverse V-shape funnel light.

Benalmadena mariposario

The wing of a butterfly is designed to absorb light quickly and keep it warm during cold weather. The scales on its wings are arranged to form microscopic honeycomb-like holes into which ridges with an inverse V-shape funnel light. The holes absorb light at a fantastic rate and are very efficient in keeping the butterflies warm.

By adopting the solar absorbing architecture of butterfly wings and V-posture, butterflies increase their solar-to-weight ratio17 fold.

Purple emperor butterfly

Butterfly wings absorb light at an amazing rate and are very efficient in keeping the butterflies warm.

Butterfly on flowers

According to an article in Science Daily, by adopting the solar absorbing architecture of butterfly wings and V-posture used by white cabbage butterflies to trap energy and heat their muscles before takeoff, researchers have found that the power-to-weight ratio of solar structures increases 17 fold, making them more efficient.