Many morpho butterflies are colored in metallic, shimmering shades of blues and greens. These colors are not a result of pigmentation but are an example of iridescence through structural coloration: the microscopic scales covering the Morpho’s wings reflect incident light repeatedly at successive layers, leading to interference effects that depend on both wavelength and angle of incidence/observance.
Technical application:
“painting” without pigments, thermal sensors
Bionic application:
Further description:
http://www.asknature.org/strategy/1d00d97a206855365c038d57832ebafa#.U7lsw7E0-So
Video:
Contact:
http://www.geglobalresearch.com/blog/butterfly-wing-nanostructures-and-temperature-changes
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morpho
http://www.asknature.org/strategy/1d00d97a206855365c038d57832ebafa#.U7lsw7E0-So
Picture-sources: