Kallima butterfly camouflaged against leaf litter, resembling a dead leaf

Why Some Butterflies Look Like Dead Leaves

Muhammad Sharif

In the vast and vibrant world of butterflies, there exists a remarkable group that has evolved to look precisely like dead, dried leaves. These butterflies, often from the Kallima genus (commonly known as oakleaf butterflies) and several other species, have developed one of nature’s most extraordinary camouflage techniques. With wings closed, they appear as nothing ...