Who has never been enchanted to see a color butterfly Flying around? However, together with this fascinationcomes a certain care that a lot of people learn from an early age: never touch their wings. It is said that that dust that comes out of them, if you enter your eyes, can cause blindness.
Mariposas enter the same alert: the dust on the finger when touching them should be removed immediately, as there is the danger of entering the eyes and causing some harm. But is this true? After all, what happens if this powder really comes into contact with our eyes?
Does butterfly powder cause blindness?
The direct answer is: No, butterfly wings powder does not cause blindness. This story is yet another case of unloved popular myth or belief, just like that that leaning against a frog can give wart.
Well, it is not known for sure when this rumor came specifically, but the fact is that it is old and lasting, another typical case of myth that goes from generation to generation without scientific basis.
In addition, there is no component on the wings of butterflies or moths that has the ability to blind a person.
What can happen in very rare cases important, it is a slight eye irritation if any fragment comes into contact with the eyes. But this can also happen with dust, sand and anything else.
It is important to understand that this dust of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) is not poisonous, has no toxic substances and does not cause severe reactions in us humans. And we repeat: the most common is that dust causes an allergy or irritation.
But have you ever wondered what this blessed dust of their wings will be, after all?
What is the dust on the wings of butterflies?
This “thing” that covers the wings of butterflies and moths is not dust! In fact, they are small scales.
They are microscopic, so they resemble a thin powder when looking with the naked eye. By touching a butterfly with your hands, these scales come out easily. This is why that “dust” is on the fingers.
These scales are made of chitin, the same material present in the carapace of other insects, such as beetles and grasshops. Butterflies’ wings are covered by thousands of them, which perform various functions. These functions are related to differences in their structure and composition.
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The colors of the wings of the butterflies
The wings of butterflies and moths are covered by thousands of microscopic scales, and each can perform different functions. Some scales are responsible for giving color, others generate shine, help in thermal regulation or offer protection against predators.
According to Butterfly of São Paulowing colors result from two main mechanisms present in scales: pigmentation and structural color. Pigmented scales contain chemicals that absorb certain lanes and reflect others, producing colors such as black, brown, yellow and orange.
In structural color, like the Butterfly of São Paulo Explains, colors arise from the interaction of light with microscopic structures organized accurately. This generates a phenomenon called iridescence, which causes colors like blue, green and violet to change according to the angle of light.
In addition to the “aesthetic” role, scales also contribute to the survival of these insects. They can easily let go, which allows butterflies and moths to escape predators when leaving scales behind. They also help in regulating body temperature, absorbing the heat of sunlight, and influences flight aerodynamics, making it more efficient.
Source: With information from “SP Butterfly”And“Entomology Museum of the Federal University of Viçosa“
