A 47-million-year-old fossil moth from Messel, Germany. The moth is in glycerine, which make its structural colors appear yellow. A 47-million-year-old fossil moth wing looks yellow in glycerine. When ...

To better understand the molecular mechanisms that control colour variations in a Lepidoptera, we performed positional cloning and recombination analysis of two genes, that is, Bm and Ws. Based on ...

Peppered moths and copycat butterflies owe their wing color-changing abilities to a single gene, two independent studies suggest. “This begins to unravel exactly what the original mutation was that ...

At first glance, the wings of this moth may seem unimpressive, but a closer look reveals an impressive mimic, from the perfect leaf shape and tiny veins right down to the broken edges. The orange ...

The molecular mechanics behind a classic example of evolution that dates back to Darwin’s time may soon be revealed. As soot from coal-fired factories blackened trees and buildings in 19th century ...