Using the color channel feature from Photoshop, Dr. Paddock has assembled a montage image of butterfly wing scales that exhibit a wide spectrum of color. The digital image presented below shows four color-palette selections from this process.

Butterfly Wing Specimen: Butterfly Pupal Wing Epithelium Technique: Fluorescence (Photoshop Montage)

The butterfly's beautifully colored wings have inspired legends throughout the ages. One legend holds that witches often assumed the form of a butterfly in order to steal milk and honey. Many cultures believed that butterflies were the souls of deceased loved ones, and to some, the butterfly has been seen as a sort of good luck omen. In fact, an old Native American legend states that capturing a butterfly and whispering a secret wish will result in that wish being swooped up to the heavens and granted by the Great Spirit. Legends aside, with its multi-colored wings, the butterfly is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful of insects.