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All of a flutter: how butterflies avoid being a predator’s lunch

The Guardian UK Wednesday 30 September 2026, 15:00 UTC By Steven Morris 1 min read

Key Points

Their whirring wings and bright patterns help keep them safe from birds, British study findsNaturalists have long wondered how brightly coloured butterflies manage to evade the attention of birds that make a meal of other insects. New research from British ecologists suggests it is not simply a matter of good luck but instead a visual illusion created by their fluttering wings.

Their whirring wings and bright patterns help keep them safe from birds, British study finds

Naturalists have long wondered how brightly coloured butterflies manage to evade the attention of birds that make a meal of other insects.

New research from British ecologists suggests it is not simply a matter of good luck but instead a visual illusion created by their fluttering wings.

British (ORG)

Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

Butterfly wing patterns may trick predators with motion illusions Sept 30 : When a bird lunges at a butterfly in mid-flight, it may see something that is not there — the insect's wings flashing beneath may not be moving where they appear to be moving. By the time the predator realizes the illusion, the butterfly already may have escaped. Researchers studying this natural defence have found that contrasting wing patterns can work together with wing movements to create misleading motion...

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All of a flutter: how butterflies avoid being a predator’s lunch

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