Nature has the ability to bring us calm. Gazing at a deep green forest or the blue ocean, for instance, is instantly soothing. But sometimes, nature does the opposite and knocks our socks off with blinding, dazzling colours in the most unexpected of places. Have you seen a moving rainbow or glittering jewels on a leaf? While some creatures adopt the art of camouflage to blend into their surroundings, others wear a shine that lets them stand out in the crowd. Snakes, insects, birds, and other inhabitants of our wild world have colour pigments, light-bending crystals, and magically layered skin that give them a glorious iridescence. Here are some stunning creatures to train your lens on.
Jewel beetle
What jewel beetles lack in size, they make up for in dazzling colour. Their shiny, metallic looking bodies gleam like gemstones on plants. For centuries, the wings of these tiny creatures were used as decorations in clothing and accessories because of their eye-catching colours.
A jewel beetle’s outer shell is made up of several layers of chitin. When light hits these layers, it produces glittering hues of green, purple, and neon shades. Jewel beetles do not have any colour pigments on their shells, but the arrangement of molecules on their outer layer reflects light in a phenomenon known as structural colouring, giving them an iridescence.
Peacock
The shimmery blue-green hues of a peacock’s feathers have inspired many a designer and tattoo artist. In India, we’re lucky to frequently spot these flamboyant birds or stumble upon their fallen feathers. The next time you admire a male peacock dancing in the rain, notice the dazzling display of colours, from the iridescent blue of his neck to the ever-changing purples and greens of his tail feathers.
The eye-spots on a peacock’s feathers contain pigments as well as photonic crystals. When light hits these eye-spots from various angles, the feathers reflect the different wavelengths. The reflections give the appearance of shimmering, ever-changing blue-green hues, resulting in the beautiful iridescence we associate with that makes peacock feathers so special.
Khaire’s black shieldtail snake
As recently as 2016, a new species of non-venomous snake was discovered in the Western Ghats and named after herpetologist Neelam Kumar Khaire. As the beautiful snake slithers and burrows into the soil, its smooth glassy skin glitters like the rainbow.
Endemic to the Western Ghats, Khaire’s shieldtail has glossy black scales on a white body and is often described as ‘highly iridescent’. As it moves, its scales appear to glimmer in hues of red, green, and blue. Truly a photographers dream.
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