Butterflies use many means to hide themselves from predators. Sometimes, as with the neotropical metalmarks ( Riodinidae ), they simply hide under leaves, out of sight. Most other species rest in more open situations though, and conceal themselves using techniques such as camouflage, disguise, disruptive coloration or transparency.

The boundary between camouflage and disguise is hard to define, but camouflage is generally considered to describe something with a colour, pattern and texture that enables it to blend well against a natural background or substrate. Butterflies rest on many different substrates including foliage, soil, rocks and tree trunks - and various species possess colours and patterns which match each of these backgrounds.

The Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni, is a superb example of disguise, being coloured and shaped like a living leaf, complete with raised "veins".

Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni, perfectly disguised as a leaf © Adrian Hoskins

In the tropics there are many species which are disguised as dead brown leaves - examples include the Leaf butterfly Kallima inachus from India, and the Memphis and Marpesia Leafwing butterflies of South America.

Zaretis itys, a Peruvian species convincingly disguised as a dead leaf © Adrian Hoskins

Disruptive coloration

The Angle Shades moth Phlogophora meticulosa is a good example - it is equally well concealed when settled amongst dead vegetation or fallen branches.

Predators - particularly birds, use a "search image" to locate resting moths. They look out for a "moth shaped" object, but the disruptive pattern of the Angle Shades breaks up it's outline and foils the bird's search image.

Angle Shades moth Phlogophora meticulosa, Hampshire, England © Adrian Hoskins