The world’s insects are hurtling down the path to extinction, threatening a “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems”, according to the first global scientific review. More than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered, the analysis found. The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles,suggesting they could vanish within a century. The planet is at the start of a sixth mass extinction in its history, with huge losses already reported in insects.

A butterfly has four wings – two on each side. They are broken into two forewings and two hindwings. When a butterfly is in flight, the wings move up and down in a figure-eight pattern. Butterfly wings are made up of two chitonous layers (membranes)and are transparent in colour. Each wing is covered by thousands upon thousands of colourful scales and hairs. Most butterflies have different patterns on the front and back of their wings.

When light hits the different layers of the butterfly wing, it is reflected numerous times, and the combination of all these reflections causes the very intense colours that you see in many species.

The diversity in the appearance of the dorsal and ventral wings of many butterflies has evolved depending on what the wing surfaces need to do, researchers say. When the butterflies are resting with their wings closed, the ventral surfaces are exposed; the patterns on these surfaces usually enable camouflage and avoidance of predators. On the other hand, dorsal surfaces, visible when the wings are open, often have colours and patterns that specifically attract potential mates.

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