The BACKSIDE of butterfly scales 10x/6x Aglais io

[mygale]

The BACKSIDE of butterfly scales @10x by mygale, auf Flickr

The backside of butterfly scales @6x by mygale, auf Flickr


2017-10-31 15.47.29 by mygale, auf Flickr

Without the black light absorbing material behind the scales they are almost transparent. I found the dead butterfly outside and it was too damaged for normal macros.

[Olympusman]

I don't understand the technique, but these would make wonderful large format wall art.

Mike

[rjlittlefield]

Very beautiful images!

As for technique, what I think I'm seeing is the ventral side of a translucent eye-spot, with the wing placed over a black background.

Based on the fact that I don't see the bases of any scales, I think I'm looking at the same surface of the scales that would be seen under normal circumstances -- the side away from the wing membrane.

At first I thought that "BACKSIDE" meant I would be seeing the surface of each scale that is normally against the wing membrane, but as I now understand the setup, that is not the case.

--Rik

[Lou Jost]

At first I thought that "BACKSIDE" meant I would be seeing the surface of each scale that is normally against the wing membrane

I think that is indeed what we are looking at. That transparent sheet is maybe packaging tape?

[mygale]

I would be seeing the surface of each scale that is normally against the wing membrane

Thats the case.
Its pressed against some sticky tape, so you can see both sides.

[rjlittlefield]

So, why can I not see the bases of the scales, where they attach to the membrane?

The first image seems to have plenty of magnification to show those, but all I see is the normal shingling, with each base hidden behind another scale.

Still puzzled...

--Rik

[Lou Jost]

No, the free ends of butterfly scales are straight or jagged. The bases are narrowed to an attachment point, and those are clearly visible in the image. The shingling is preserved, but now the bases become the outer edges.

[rjlittlefield]

Ah, good point. And now in the first image I see a couple of isolated scales that can be seen in their entirety, with tapered base and straight free end.

What I was interpreting as free ends were the bases, just not looking like what I expected from other pictures.

Thanks for the explanation.

--Rik