Iridescences - The Physical Colors of Insects (Paperback, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2007)

Lepidoptera and Coleoptera - butterflies and beetles - are the most beautifully colored insects we can find. This book explores the origin of these brilliant colors from a physics perspective, beginning with the simplest question: Why Colors? The author masterfully explains at an introductory level the coloring of insects and illustrates his points with more than 240 brilliant figures. The book is a rich source for optical physicists, biologists, and teachers alike.