What is the scale-like covering on butterfly and moth wings?

What is the scale-like covering on butterfly and moth wings?

• A. Tegmina
• B. Bristles
• C. Membrane
• D. Scales

Answer: (D)

Scales. On butterflies and moths, the wings are covered with tiny, flattened scale plates that overlap like shingles. These scales are actually modified hairs (setae) and can be pigmented or structured to create color and patterns, sometimes producing iridescence. The scales can wear away when the wings are touched, which is a handy clue for field observations. This is different from tegmina, which are the leathery forewings of some insects like grasshoppers; bristles are hair-like projections elsewhere on the body; and the wing membrane is the thin, flexible surface the scales sit on.

Scales. On butterflies and moths, the wings are covered with tiny, flattened scale plates that overlap like shingles. These scales are actually modified hairs (setae) and can be pigmented or structured to create color and patterns, sometimes producing iridescence. The scales can wear away when the wings are touched, which is a handy clue for field observations. This is different from tegmina, which are the leathery forewings of some insects like grasshoppers; bristles are hair-like projections elsewhere on the body; and the wing membrane is the thin, flexible surface the scales sit on.