Butterflies may be tiny but are among natures most alluring creatures. Their exquisite colourations have captivated man forever. The first stage in the butterflies lifecycle is the caterpillar. The caterpillar is brightly coloured because of the toxins it absorbs from the leaves it eats. The colours serve as a warning to predators to eat it at their own peril. The metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly is both gruesome and fascinating.The caterpillar weaves a cocoon around itself after anchoring itself firmly to a leaf. Inside this chrysalis the caterpillar secretes digestive juices and melts itself. Some of its cells survive however and are reborn as a butterfly.

Butterflies wings are composed of 2 or 3 scaled layers. Each layer is further sub-divided into many layers separated by air gaps. Light passes through the layers and is reflected back. Due to phase differences the light sometimes interferes constructively and sometimes destructively. Constructive interference leads to really intense colours while destructive interference leads to a lack of colour. Anything in between leads to different colours. Colours also vary depending on the angle at which light enters the chitin layers.This gives rise to the phenomena of iridescence. Butterflies suck nectar through their proboscis. Sometimes they land on people attracted by the sodium in their sweat. The large spots on their wings resemble eyes and are there to ward off predators.