A Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis). This is the ventral side of this butterfly. Wings up and closed. You are seeing the bottom side of its wings.

And this is the dorsal side of a Red-spotted Purple. The top side. As in this species of butterfly, butterflies often have very different looks, dorsal and ventral sides.

The dorsal side of a butterflies’ wings are often used in sexual signaling and for luring mates.

The ventral side of a butterflies’ wings are often used for camouflage to avoid predators.

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