Detail of a moth's wing.

Kibale Forest, Uganda
A vinegar fly (Drosophilidae) circles in to land on a shelf fungus. Note the iridescent patterning on the wing. These metallic colors were recently discovered to be species-specific and potentially involved in communication.

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
The wings of a Magicicada sp. periodical cicada.

Allerton Park, Illinois, USA
Many species of flies use their wings for communication. This Ulidiid sports both pigmented spots- visible in the wing silhouetted by the flower petal- and rainbow reflections, visible in the wing against the dark background.

MacLaughlin UC Reserve, California, USA
Army ant males are most commonly seen at night.   They sometimes end up at lights as they disperse on wing from their natal colonies.  This army ant, Neivamyrmex swainsonii, is a broadly-distributed species found from the southern United States to northern Argentina.

Peña Blanca Lake, Arizona, USA
Army ant males are most commonly seen at night.   They sometimes end up at lights as they disperse on wing from their natal colonies.  This army ant, Neivamyrmex swainsonii, is a broadly-distributed species found from the southern United States to northern Argentina.

Peña Blanca Lake, Arizona, USA
Army ant males are most commonly seen at night.   They sometimes end up at lights as they disperse on wing from their natal colonies.  This army ant, Neivamyrmex swainsonii, is a broadly-distributed species found from the southern United States to northern Argentina.

Peña Blanca Lake, Arizona, USA
Army ant males are most commonly seen at night.   They sometimes end up at lights as they disperse on wing from their natal colonies.  This army ant, Neivamyrmex swainsonii, is a broadly-distributed species found from the southern United States to northern Argentina.

Peña Blanca Lake, Arizona, USA
Many species of flies use their wings for communication. This Ulidiid sports both pigmented spots- visible in the wing silhouetted by the flower petal- and rainbow reflections, visible in the wing against the dark background.

MacLaughlin UC Reserve, California, USA
Many species of flies use their wings for communication. This Ulidiid sports both pigmented spots- visible in the wing silhouetted by the flower petal- and rainbow reflections, visible in the wing against the dark background.

MacLaughlin UC Reserve, California, USA
Many species of flies use their wings for communication. This Ulidiid sports both pigmented spots- visible in the wing silhouetted by the flower petal- and rainbow reflections, visible in the wing against the dark background.

MacLaughlin UC Reserve, California, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013