Thermoregulation in butterfly wings

A recent study looked at tissues in butterfly wings that are supplied by circulatory, neural and tracheal systems, indicating that the wing is a dynamic, living structure. Behavioral assays show that butterflies use wings to sense visible and infrared radiation, responding with specialized behaviors to prevent overheating of their wings.

The study is published in Nature Communications, and a summary article, in plain English, can be found in a very unlikely spot, the Economist.