Phosphorescent Wings

Phosphorescent wings glow in the dark by storing light energy lasting longer than fluorescence, often found in nature's bioluminescent insects. Examples include fire flies or glow worms, which produce light for mating.  Some butterfly wings, such as papilio nireus use structured scales for intense light emission. Many insect wings like that of sallowtails and cicadas are technically fluorescent actively shining under UV light rather than glowing in the dark 

The firefly family includes nearly 2000 species that use bioluminescence. The glowworms refers to larva or wingless females that glow, while flying males often glow intermittently. 

Sallowtail butterflies possess specialised wing scales that actively fluorescence.  Their wing structures act like photonic crystals, similar to high-tech LEDs and enhance this emission and direct the light, making them appear to shimmer.

Research indicates that the transparent wings of cicadas and some moths exhibit natural fluorescence, likely arising from a protein called resilin, which helps with flexibility.

Fluorescence stops immediately when the light source is removed, while phosphorescence is a longer lasting emission.

Fireflies and glow-worms are closely related but not entirely the same. Fireflies have wings and flash to attract mates.  The glowworms are wingless adult female larvae of certain firefly species, which emit a steady glowing light rather than flashing.

The bioluminescence of these insects must have been witnessed by the unknown navigator of the "Sailing Around The Eritrean Sea" on his voyage from Lakshadweep to Malabar Coast and used the Koine Greek term "Naura" to qualify the place; and Naura means Light.



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