Did you know that butterflies can perceive the widest range of colors within the animal kingdom? These remarkable insects can spot ultraviolet to the red end of the color spectrum. According to the book “Florida’s Fabulous Butterflies” by Thomas C. Emmel, the butterflies eyes are comprised of individual facets, allowing them to see objects as a mosaic with each facet seeing a portion of the total picture. The author said this is comparable to pixels making up a photo on the computer or television screen. Some species can see up to 17,000 facets, enabling them to see finer details. In addition, some butterflies also have 360-degree vision and are great at viewing moving images, which helps when in flight.

The ultraviolet light is pronounced during the daylight hours. According to Emmel, some broad petal flowers have spots on its rim that appear bright to the butterfly in this light, as they reflect UV light. The center part of the flower absorb the UV light casting a darker, or even black color to the butterfly’s eye. The dark helps the butterfly land in the right spot quickly to drink its nectar. This is a great ability for the butterfly as it becomes more vulnerable when drinking, than flying.

The caterpillar eyes (Gulf fritillary photo shown above) on the other hand, have two sets of six simple eyes. The oval-shaped clusters are located on each side of its head. Caterpillars can only see light and dark, and a few inches away.

The links below will direct you to my monarch and gulf fritillary pages for more information and photographs.