A saturniid moth in Mole National Park in Larabanga, Ghana

A saturniid moth in Mole National Park in Larabanga, Ghana

© Robert Thompson/Minden Picture

All eyes on moths

If the markings on its wings distract you for a second, chalk up an evolutionary victory for this saturniid moth, resting in Mole National Park in Ghana. It's thought that moths, butterflies and other creatures use eyespots, a crafty form of mimicry, to either intimidate predators or draw them to attack less vulnerable parts of the body. Eyespots are common among the Saturniidae family of moths. This family comprises a group of more than 2,000 species, including some giants of the moth world, like the emperor, royal and atlas moths.