Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#512553
Colorful wings - Toxomerus geminatus - male

Colorful wings - Toxomerus geminatus - Male
Churchville Nature Center, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA
July 11, 2006
A few months ago I read an article in Discover Magazine about how many insect's wings are iridescent when set against a dark background because of a phenomenon called "thin film interference". The patterns are so striking that some species can be identified by them.
It was mentioned in one of the forum discussions.
Just by chance I had this image and thought that it may be worth adding it to Bugguide.