The Belizean blue morpho is one of the largest butterflies in the world and one of the most beautiful. The topside of its massive wings are a brilliant iridescent blue, but the underside is a dull gray or brown.
The blue morpho uses this tricky color combo in a fascinating survival strategy known as 'flash and dazzle.' As it flaps its wings, it flashes its bright blue color, dazzling its predators and showing them exactly where it is. Just as suddenly, it displays the underside of its wings and blends into the surrounding brown and gray tree trunks, effectively disappearing from its predators view. By the time it 'flashes and dazzles' again, the predator is very confused.
