蝴蝶奇妙的翅膀
Butterfly Wings: More Than Meets the Eye
蝴蝶奇妙的翅膀
For humans seeing butterflies fluttering around with their beautiful brightly colored wings is a joyful sight. However not for their natural predators like lizards, spiders, and birds. To them, the vibrant hues are a reminder of a bad-tasting species that are best avoided. For those not easily duped, some butterflies also have eyespots on their wings. According to researchers, this tricks would-be predators into thinking that the insect is a larger animal, like an owl.
人們都很喜歡蝴蝶扇動五彩繽紛的翅膀飛舞的樣子。然而，對於它們的天敵，比如蜥蜴、蜘蛛、和鳥來說卻並非如此。對它們而言，這些絢爛的花紋暗示它們這不是可口的食物。對於那些不易被騙的天敵，有些蝴蝶翅膀上還備了眼睛的圖案。據專家稱，這會讓捕食者誤以爲眼前的蝴蝶是某些大的生物，比如說貓頭鷹。
If that is not enough to impress you, how about this? The smart insects have different colors and scaled patterns on the underside of their wings. This enables them to blend in with the leaves or tree bark while resting. And there is more! Some species of butterflies even have ultraviolet patterns that are visible only to other butterflies, a trick that helps them seek out the perfect mates!
這對你來說還不夠奇妙嗎？聰明的蝴蝶翅膀上有不同的顏色和層次，這使它們在樹葉或者樹幹上休息時能很好的僞裝自己。這還不是最讚的！有些種類的蝴蝶翅膀上有紫外線下只有同伴才能看到的圖案，這便於它們找到完美的配偶。
Moreover, in many species such as Asia's paper kite butterflies, the deception starts early. With its off-white/yellow wings, this species is not amongst the most attractive butterfly. However, its chrysalis — the hard protective covering that houses the caterpillar as it develops into a butterfly, is a gorgeous shiny golden color.
除此之外，有些如亞洲紙風箏蝶的蝴蝶，在生命初期就學會了僞裝。它們淡黃的翅膀在蝴蝶中並不出衆，但它們的繭——用來保護毛毛蟲蛻變蝴蝶的居所，卻是少見的金黃色。
While camouflage is important for the adult insects, it is even more so when they are in the chrysalis stage. Trapped inside the hard shell, the insects need all the help they can get given that they are unable to flee from creatures looking to eat or parasitize them. A chrysalis that blends in gives the fledgling butterfly the chance to grow within its case without the constant worry of predator attacks.
僞裝對蝴蝶成蟲很重要，但在它們在繭裏的時期意義重大。藏在硬硬的繭內時，蝴蝶需要竭盡所能避免被其他生物吃掉或者被寄生，否則就不能破繭而出。顏色複雜的繭能保護蝴蝶幼蟲不受捕食者傷害，在裏面順利成長。
So the next time you spy butterflies, remember that the vibrantly colored wings are not just for "good looks." They serve a bigger, more important purpose - helping the insects avoid becoming the main course on a predator’s menu.
所以下次再觀察蝴蝶時，記得它們絢爛的翅膀並不只是爲了好看。它們有更重要的使命——使蝴蝶避免成爲捕食者的盤中餐。
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