What do the spots on the wings of butterflies and moths do?The large round spots on the wings of butterflies and moths, which look like big round eyes, are a defense mechanism. When a bird or other animal tries to eat the insect, it opens its wings and flies off. The wing movement reveals the moth’s “eyes,” confusing the insect’s enemy by making it think it has attacked something much bigger with eyes. The predator hesitates, and the insect is able to escape. ![]() There are over 3,000 kinds of tropical walking stick insects, some of which are among the largest insects on the planet. |