Giant butterfly owls (Caligo idomeneus) have owl-like eye spots on their wings, which help protect them from predators. (Image credit: Wild Horizons/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
In this excerpt from Carbon: The Book of Life (Viking, 2025), author and ecologist Paul Hawken delves into the world of insects and the amazing adaptations that creatures like dragonflies and butterflies have evolved to improve their chances of survival. Hawken hopes that focusing on Earth’s lesser-known inhabitants will help people develop a deeper appreciation for life, which he believes is key to tackling and overcoming the climate crisis.
The Flame Skimmer hovers 2 feet from my face, watching me. Its red, bulbous eyes contain 24,000 corneas, allowing it to see 360 degrees—up, down, back, forward, and around at the same time. What it does to me is visually impossible to imagine.
It has 30 opsins, the universal photoreceptor molecules found in animal visual systems. I look back with my three opsins and two blue corneas. In the pond where I am, the skimmer glides and moves swiftly, its satiny wings, red and orange, body and wing. My guest weighs 0.1 ounces (2.8 grams) and can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour (96 km/h) during the weeks it spends in the air.
Its lifespan of three to four years is spent mostly as a larva, a freshwater nymph, an underwater omnivore that feeds on tadpoles, spotted tails, minnows and other nymphs. Today, it displays its iridescent wings, glittering like a ball gown, and seeks out mating opportunities, preferably in the air. As it flashes and pulses before me, perfectly still, I watch 350 million years of evolution unfold.
Dragonflies have compound eyes that can see ultraviolet light, giving them the unique ability to discern shapes and movements. Their behavior has been studied by military experts to create software for stealth aircraft, as they use active motion camouflage. When a dragonfly hunts, it hovers perfectly still and positions itself between its prey and the shadow cast behind it, such as a tree, concealing its location. It’s a bit like sneaking up on someone in the forest, hiding behind the branches. The dragonfly can constantly change its position depending on the movement of its prey, keeping the tree and its prey in line – a butterfly or mosquito would not notice. Gradually, the dragonfly gets closer until it is within striking distance. This evolutionary adaptation has proven very successful for dragonflies, making them excellent predators despite their short lifespan.
Sourse: www.livescience.com
