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Hot temperatures can dull blue morpho butterflies' iridescent scales

Blue morpho butterflies have captivated the human eye for centuries. We even have one as an emoji on our phones. In a recent experiment, researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) documented for the first time that hot temperatures during development can reduce the brightness of their iridescence. At hot temperatures, such as those projected in future warming scenarios, the structures responsible for their iridescent color could change enough that common bird predators and