Butterfly Wings
What does a butterfly wing look like? Well, it depends on one's perspective! This week I set up the Museum's digital microscope to once again work with local artist Diana Randolph as we prepared zoomed-in photographs of wildlife. Last year, we zoomed in on fresh flowers to gain a new perspective on petals, pistils, stamens, and even the small critters that forage on flower surfaces. Looking through those images was a joy for all in her pastel painting class. The artists then used those images to create their own masterpieces. So, this year we wanted to have some more fun with the microscope and art.
Diana and I had been soliciting others all summer to help us collect road kill butterflies. It wasn't the most glamorous summer hobby, but it did give us some beautiful results. We took our pile of butterfly wings and even some of the Museum's specimens, placed them all under the microscope, and snapped amazing images of intricate patterns created by scales of different colors. With the assistance of new technology, we experienced these beautiful insects in a manner that many of us haven't had the chance to experience before.
Diana and I had been soliciting others all summer to help us collect road kill butterflies. It wasn't the most glamorous summer hobby, but it did give us some beautiful results. We took our pile of butterfly wings and even some of the Museum's specimens, placed them all under the microscope, and snapped amazing images of intricate patterns created by scales of different colors. With the assistance of new technology, we experienced these beautiful insects in a manner that many of us haven't had the chance to experience before.
