Wing scales give butterfly and moth wings their often colorful appearance.
Lepidopteran wings are covered by millions of tiny, overlapping scales. These scales are modified hairs made largely of chitin and are attached to the wing membrane. Their arrangement creates the familiar patterns seen in butterflies and moths.
Some colors come from pigments inside the scales, while others result from microscopic structures that reflect light in particular ways. The brilliant blues of many morpho butterflies, for example, are strongly associated with structural coloration rather than a simple blue pigment.
Scales can rub off when wings are handled, although losing some scales does not immediately prevent flight. Their functions include camouflage, warning coloration, mimicry, and visual communication.