The Giant Silkmoths Colour, Mimicry & Camouflage

by Howse, Philip; Wolfe, Kirby

• ISBN13: 9781906506254
• ISBN10: 1906506256
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-04-01
• Publisher: Papadakis Dist A C

Summary

The most spectacular wild silkmoths live in tropical and subtropical forests and include the elegant moon moths with delicate pale green wings and long tails, the huge atlas moths with snake patterns embroidered on the edges of their wings, and the 'bullseye' moths with brightly-coloured eye-spots that resemble the eyes of owls. The interplay of wing colour and design, behavior, and ecology in the evolution of these extraordinary insects is explored in a lively, accessible text by award-winning author Philip Howse accompanied by Kirby Wolfe's magnificent photographs. Many previously unrecognized examples of mimicry of other animals embedded in their wing patterns are described and illustrated, including images of owl eyes, bird wings, claws, teeth, heads of reptiles, birds, rodents, cats... all designed to frighten the shortsighted, insect-eating birds that seek to prey on them

Author Biography

Philip Howse has published books and research articles on insect behaviour and ecology. He has developed environmentally-friendly methods for the control of insect pests, recognized by a number of awards including an OBE. After a career spent mainly at Southampton University, he has now retired but continues writing about the insects that have fascinated him since childhood.

Kirby Wolfe has published books and research articles on insect behavior and ecology. He is a Research Associate of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, California, and has spent more than 25 years studying and photographing moths.

Table of Contents

1. Colour & Mimicry
2. Camouflage & Concealment
3. Attraction
4. Peacocks & Emperors
5. Unseeing Eyes
6. Moths of the Moon
7. The Atlas Moths
8. The Road from Xanadu

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