True Facts: The Crazy Defenses of Butterflies and Moths

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Thank you:
Gino Nearns / @ginonearns
Alicia Hodson
Jojo Rocha, IG: @Jojoinsects
Dr Marco Antonio Giraldo Cadavid
Dr Juliana Patricia Sosa Espinosa
Dr Tyson Hedrick
Dr Aaron Corcoran, sonarjamming.com: / @aaroncorcoran1
Dr Adrian Smith: / @antlab
Dr Changku Kang
Dr Jesse Barber
Dr Akito Y. Kawahara
Dr Haider Butt
Konstantin Kornev
Dr Nipam Patel
Oshyan Greene
Jojo Rocha, IG: Jojoinsects
Dr Aaron Pomerantz
Damien Gailly
Dr Rachel Thayer
Barber JR, et al. Anti-bat ultrasound production in moths is globally and phylogenetically widespread. 2022 Jun 21;119(25):e2117485119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2117485119.
Bode-Oke AT, Dong H. 2020 The reverse flight of a monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is characterized by a weight-supporting upstroke and
postural changes. J. R. Soc. Interface 17: 20200268. dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2020.0268
Brunetti CR, et al. The generation and diversification of butterfly eyespot color patterns. doi: 10.1016/s0960-9822(01)00502-4.
Chotard A, et al. Evidence of attack deflection suggests adaptive evolution of wing tails in butterflies. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0562.
Corcoran AJ, et al.. How moths escape bats: predicting outcomes of predator-prey interactions. doi: 10.1242/jeb.137638.
Corcoran AJ, et al. Optimal predator risk assessment by the sonar-jamming arctiine moth Bertholdia trigona. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0063609.
Dinwiddie A, et al. Dynamics of F-actin prefigure the structure of butterfly wing scales. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.06.005.
Fuchiwaki, M et al. Dynamic behavior of the vortex ring formed on a butterfly wing. Exp Fluids 54, 1450 (2013). doi.org/10.1007/s00348-012-14...
Giraldo, M. A. (2008). Butterfly wing scales: Pigmentation and structural properties.
Hirata K, Otaki JM. Real-Time In Vivo Imaging of the Developing Pupal Wing Tissues in the Pale Grass Blue Butterfly Zizeeria maha: Establishing the Lycaenid System for Multiscale Bioimaging. doi: 10.3390/jimaging5040042.
Holmes GG, et al. Testing the feasibility of the startle-first route to deimatism.. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-28565-w.
Iwata M, et al. Developmental dynamics of butterfly wings: real-time in vivo whole-wing imaging of twelve butterfly species. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-34990-8.
Johansson LC, Henningsson P. 2021 Butterflies fly using efficient propulsive clap mechanism owing to flexible wings. doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2020.0854
Kawahara AY, et al. Tempo and mode of antibat ultrasound production and sonar jamming in the diverse hawkmoth radiation.doi: 10.1073/pnas.1416679112.
Kim Y, et al. Prey with hidden colour defences benefit from their similarity to aposematic signals. Proc Biol Sci. 2020 Sep 9;287(1934):20201894. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1894.
McDougal AD, et al. In vivo visualization of butterfly scale cell morphogenesis in Vanessa cardui. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Dec 7;118(49):e2112009118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2112009118.
Neil, T et al. (2020). Thoracic scales of moths as a stealth coating against bat biosonar. Journal of The Royal Society Interface. 17. 20190692. 10.1098/rsif.2019.0692.
Nishida K, et al. Butterfly wing color made of pigmented liquid. Cell Rep. 2023 Aug 29;42(8):112917. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112917.
Olofsson M et al. Deimatic display in the European swallowtail butterfly as a secondary defence against attacks from great tits. PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e47092. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047092.
O’Reilly, L.J. et al. Deaf moths employ acoustic Müllerian mimicry against bats using wingbeat-powered tymbals. Sci Rep 9, 1444 (2019). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-37...
Osotsi MI, et al. Butterfly wing architectures inspire sensor and energy applications. Natl Sci Rev. 2020 May 23;8(3):nwaa107. doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwaa107.
Piszter, G.et al. Investigating the Effect of Reflectance Tuning on Photocatalytic Dye Degradation with Biotemplated ZnO Photonic Nanoarchitectures Based on Morpho Butterfly Wings. Materials2023,16,3584. doi.org/10.3390/ma16093584
Rubin JJ, et al. The evolution of anti-bat sensory illusions in moths. Sci Adv. 2018 Jul 4;4(7):eaar7428. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aar7428.
Suzuki K, et al. Revisiting the flight dynamics of take-off of a butterfly: experiments and CFD simulations for a cabbage white butterfly. Biol Open. 2022 Mar 15;11(3):bio059136. doi: 10.1242/bio.059136.
Thayer RC, et al. Structural color in Junonia butterflies evolves by tuning scale lamina thickness. Elife. 2020 Apr 7;9:e52187. doi: 10.7554/eLife.52187.

[@zefrank]

Go to brilliant.org/zefrank to get a 30-day free trial + the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual subscription.

[@LindaC616]

I saw a BBC Earth clip the other day, and all of your fans found each other in the comment section, bc we couldn't watch it without thinking "Daytime! Nighttime! I mess with ze feeshes!"

[@user-kc5cs9yk1c]

Why...

[@user-kc5cs9yk1c]

Mikyc

[@michaelccopelandsr7120]

Bringing smiles and knowledge to people is truly noble work. Thank you.

[@tallard666]

Hey there. Been loving your videos for what seems like decades!! :D I wonder, do you ever do in-person lectures? I know your pieces are short, but I could imagine collating a few together and making a 45-minuter out of it. Do you travel? I'm writing from N.Canada.

[@AloisAgos]

I love how butterflies have literally weaponized jumpscares.

[@mikeoxmall69420]

freddie fast bear

[@tobiasedwards2643]

@@mikeoxmall69420Fazbear*

[@yourfriendlyinternetmeatshield]

Step 1: stealth as egg, then scootch and CONSUME (stealth: still good, be poison: better. [Debatable].) Step 2: find hidden place to become goo and totally rearrange EVERYTHING YOU WERE. Step 3: FIGHT LIKE HELL against the cage you put yourself in, for reasons that were unavoidable when the thing before you made yourself goo. Step 4: Fly. Stealth. FNAF. F*ck (and still use TM 06 if possible/as needed) Somehow this keeps working😅

[@Bluecho4]

@@yourfriendlyinternetmeatshield Step 5: BREED (They can't eat ALL your children if there are hundreds of them)

[@dylanyoung465]

​@@Repent-and-believe-in-Jesuspreach brother, these butterflies need Jesus

[@MH-ms1dg]

Hey, I’m a Butterfly explainer at the American Museum of Natural History. I’m so glad to see that you are using so many of the newest articles to share color-related information too!

[@seanorange5633]

that's how ZeFrank do

[@1darkthought]

@@seanorange5633 when he's not hurting when he pees

[@WilliamKelly-ou2nm]

Butterfly explainer? Butterfly biology expert sounds better . Explainer just sounds like a dumb person's dictionary....go get the the big explainer book ! Just saying...lol. Have a great day ❤❤❤!

[@IstasPumaNevada]

Just don't become a butterfly apologist. They know what they did.

[@Cheshieruu]

@@WilliamKelly-ou2nm sometimes ya gotta know when to not take yourself seriously. then, the world becomes a much more whimsical place. especially if you give tours to kiddos c:

[@jakubjanicki3989]

I love how this series went from dumb (but hilarious) hedgehog jokes to explaining actual cool science in an even more hilarious way.

[@promontorium]

And just being a short parody of Morgan Freeman narration.

[@tomiantenna7279]

It was always good. I miss the full on Morgan Freeman though.

[@otterwithagun1982]

For many years, to this day, "the nation of France was named after a hedgehog. His name was Kevin. Don't ask" lives in my head rent free.

[@drewthistlethwaite8909]

Dudes glow up was satire to silly education

[@joshyoung1440]

​@@otterwithagun1982 good, landlordism is immoral. Also that line... that just rang a bell faintly and tenderly so far back in my head...

[@josephtibbs2586]

I'm a scientist who studies photonic crystals, and your explanation of structural color was top-notch. Keep up the good work!

[@OG_Cool_Cat]

“It’s like being in the middle of a battlefield and someone’s dancing around in a kimono.” 😂 Well that’s the greatest description of a butterfly’s life I’ve ever heard. 🤣

[@chrismooneyham5279]

This has made my day, knowledge + comedy = priceless....

[@AlcoLoco251]

So basically Klinger on M.A.S.H.

[@bigfudge2031]

to be fair, I wouldn't know what to do if I saw that on a battlefield.

[@Mark_nobody3]

Just like a Beautiful shrine Maiden “Welcome to the Temple, Let God bless on your journey to spiritual enlightenment” 🥰

[@DazombieAlien]

Reminds me of that Shinobu Kocho from demon slayer!!

[@Mystyx-Sama]

During my final years at Walmart I encountered an absolutely gorgeous giant, furry, white moth that somehow got into the store. I tried to put it back outside but it kept coming back in for some reason, which wasn't good with all the traffic around. So I let it rest on my shoulder till the end of my shift, at which point it finally fluttered away before I drove home. I'll always remember that day :)

[@5kunk157h35h17]

Walmart can really be beautiful from time to time. I found myself in one of those stores.

[@tnleeo]

​​@@5kunk157h35h17 Were you the moth?

[@warmak4576]

Damn, you got a strong back to keep that fat furry on your shoulder.

[@warmak4576]

Damn, you got a strong back to keep that fat furry on your shoulder.

[@warmak4576]

Damn, you got a strong back to keep that fat furry on your shoulder.

[@lairdhaynes1986]

As a kid warching butterflies i always wondered how they got anywhere flying the way they do. It seemed so chaotic and unpredictable but they obviously managed. Your explanation of the mechanics and strategy of their flight was most enlightening. There really is method to the madness of lepidopteran aeronautics.

[@pauls5745]

yeah me too, wondered how they accomplish anything by not flying straight, but then realize now because they swerve, they live long enough to get to point B

[@lairdhaynes1986]

@@pauls5745 Its funny, for the longest time I doubted they could even fly a straight line but this past summer I observed at least one gulf fritillary, fluttering about, suddenly turn and glide a straight line to a patch of Liatris microcephela.

[@emperora9]

Also, for those who don't know, the mimicry mentioned @3:40 is called Mullerian mimicry (named after Franz Muller...who is dead), where two or more of the same species of animal share a warning to predators that leaving them alone is strongly good for their health.

[@user-lf3kr1nq2d]

Are you sure he's dead? Maybe he's just pretending.

[@LimeyLassen]

I think you got it backwards. This is Batesian mimicry (he mentioned these are the nontoxic, tasty species)

[@OlleLindestad]

Batesian mimicry, because only the model is dangerous, the mimic is harmless. Müllerian is when both are dangerous (i.e. both "mimic each other").

[@theroadstopshere]

If Jerry can keep his job for all these years, there's hope for all of us 🙏🏼

[@cosmicraysshotsintothelight]

Make Amurica Embrace Entertainment Again. MAEEA.

[@anonymous3637]

Just has to be smarter than a clam, I guess

[@dbrokensoul]

There's a possibility ze Frank is forced to keep Jerry

[@cosmicraysshotsintothelight]

@@dbrokensoul Multiple personalities are funny that way. 😜

[@tomiantenna7279]

Being funny is like a superpower. You can basically push a pavlovian response in people. Just make people laugh and they will pay you. It's ridiculous, but a cool hack.

[@DanGamingFan2846]

"And that, is how the lepidopterans do." I'm glad he brought that catchphrase back. Also, it's crazy how we think of butterflies as being so delicate, yet they have all these defensive measures. And the complicated way they display colors is incredible. Just when I think I know everything about nature, Ze Frank proves me wrong.

[@MartijnPennings]

I was always taught not to touch butterflies because they can die. I don't know about that after this video, but you can mess with the colors on the wings, so I guess that can mess up their defense strategy.

[@NinjaRose23]

Working with butterflies at a Butterfly House... They're SO metal despite being fragile. We had Button Quail as slug and aphid cleanup since we didn't use any chemicals in the greenhouse, and butterflies would attack the hell out of them if they were out in the open feeding on their pellet diet 😅

They may be fragile but they are also razor sharp and deadly killers

[@the-trustees]

Try researching how they EAT if you want some more crazy evolutionary traits! 😃

[@alveolate]

butterflies ARE delicate... when vs humans. even just innocent little kiddies who have no malice. in fact... little kiddies are the most likely to try and grab their pretty wings... and butterflies just haven't adapted to scare away these pregrown monsters yet.

[@johnmarr9783]

Last summer I watched a Silver Washed Fritillary (the butterfly at 1m 45s!) being pursued by an Emperor dragonfly - they flew backwards and forwards a good few times before the butterfly, unable to shake off the dragonfly, abruptly closed it's wings and dropped into the long grass. There it remained motionless until the coast was clear - amazing to witness!

[@darkdragoness5]

That's really cool, as butterflies may be good at evasion through unpredictability, dragonflies are very good with predicting their prey's flight path

[@Bjorn-if7og]

i think its not so much the dragonflys ability to predict chaotic movement, ive seen them more predicting flys fast but straight escape. Rather i would guess that they have much more precise control over their fight, so no matter the chaos they cann simply chage direction faster.

[@PMIII]

@johnmarr9783 That's cool as hell!😎🦋 You've just witnessed an epic battle between a butterfly and a dragonfly 👏👏

[@ogreenius]

Well that's it, my life has peaked becoming a little part of yet another amazing True Facts episode. I've been a fan for almost exactly a decade, so now I can die happy. 😄 Thanks Ze (and now Caitlin!) for so many years of impeccably combining laughter and learning. Nobody does it better and I can't wait to see where you take us next!

[@chee.rah.monurB]

Thank you for your contributions to this video!

[@Chocotacoattacobaco]

Which part is yours? Thanks for contributing to people knowing more about butterflies!

[@ogreenius]

@@ChocotacoattacobacoJust a short clip or two with the Anise Swallowtail, and a few close-up still shots of butterfly scales. Happy to do my small part. 🙂

[@Chocotacoattacobaco]

@@ogreenius ooooh I checked out your channel. Are you an entomologist or biologist or something?

[@ogreenius]

@@Chocotacoattacobaco Nope, just a passionate nature-loving photographer!

[@billcynic1815]

0:44 "It's like being in the middle of the battlefield and someone's dancing around in a kimono." I've watched enough anime to know that this person is by far the most dangerous warrior on the field, untouchable and able to cut down hundreds with ease.

[@tiacat11]

Jerry ghostwrote this.

[@captain_buggles]

By anime logic, the person in the kimono *knows* they don't need armor and it's advertising just how incredibly skilled they are.

[@Kamethystar]

They are the skilled veteran gamers that uses normal/cute outfits that gives 0 buffs just to troll and humiliate tryhards

[@LimeyLassen]

@@Kamethystar Butterflies are known to drink human tears so I'm into it

[@bariumselenided5152]

Every episode of bleach

[@nicola3540]

“They fly like a drunk person trying to find the bathroom in IKEA” priceless!

[@Brett_S_420]

A sparrow flies like it is looking for the bathroom in an Ikea whilst holding back really urgent Swedish meatball squirts...

[@diannelavoie5385]

I can identify with the Ikea bathroom dilemma, and I was not even drunk.Besides, who in their right mind would go to an Ikea while buzzed? Hard enough to negotiate the maze while sober.

[@candyluna2929]

I've been to ikea and I felt drunk and I don't drink. Feel bad for the insect.

[@r3dp9]

I once asked for a shortcut in an IKEA, but the directions were far too confusing, so I mostly just followed the arrows.

[@mattw7949]

I've always been confused by the random placement of wicker toilets in Ikea.

[@Schmool666]

Everyone involved with True Facts Is absolutely brilliant! Yes, Jerry too. The photography is beautiful, the editing is perfect, the writing is informative and incredibly amusing, and the delivery is fantastic. You drop little jokes in there so quickly that can easily be missed, so I have to watch each video several times to catch everything. I find I remember the facts you offer, probably because of the laughter. Thank you all for this wonderfully delightful show. If there are awards for these shows, you deserve 1st place for each and every one!

[@Satellite_Of_Love]

I don't remember how I came across this channel, but I am very glad I did!

[@darcieclements4880]

Unless he's hired staff, He's pretty much a one man show for the most part. He''s very good at picking his clips out of the stock solutions.

[@TurboToller]

Jerry is the star of the show! 😆

[@Spitfire864]

9⁹⁹

[@capwnzor9342]

I was literally just thinking, “I haven’t heard Ze Frank say ‘and that is how the (insert creature name) do.’” 😂 thank you for bringing that back

[@primachpepe8597]

Jerry is my favourite part of these. bless his heart, hes trying his best. Idiots need to take what work they can get

[@K0nqu0r]

Was thinking the same thing. Although Jerry was right this time. Butterflies, like clowns, are extremely dangerous

[@Scapestoat]

@@K0nqu0r They're not known as Razorflies for no reason!

[@WillWilsonthesafetyguy]

On behalf of myself and all the other Jerry's of the world, thank you.

[@metalmamasue3680]

This one's for the underdogs ✊️💯

[@StrawmnMcPerson]

Super Fun Fact: "Id**t" is a eug3nic!st concept and label, used to sort people like they did in the n@z! concentration camps, into who they deemed worthy of life and humanity and who wasn't. Intellectually Disabled people are kept separate in your society to this day.

[@PhotonBeast]

Gonna quietly comment that the bats doing literal flips in the air while trying to catch their prey is pretty dope.

[@matthewdebeer8453]

Right? I know the butterflies are the stars of this show, but those flips are so cool!

[@hedgehog3180]

Bats are really good fliers to make up for the fact that they just constantly fly into each other. They recover from it so quickly that scientists didn't even know they did this until they recorded them with high speed cameras, until then the belief was that they had some super advanced method of collision avoidance.

[@eclipserepeater2466]

@@hedgehog3180 We should take inspiration from them for our own aircraft. Rather than doing all that coordination to make sure planes don't run into one another, just make sure that the planes can take the hit and then keep flying. :p

[@Brando56894]

Lots of Raptors do it too.

[@sunnydoom2726]

I would love to see Ze Frank do a video on horses. They have such messed up biology its a miracle they exist. Like they can't vomit, they can only breath through their nose, they can't breath normally during full gallop (the movement of their body while running makes the lungs function) and there's more but too much to list here.

[@joshyoung1440]

"Just like that fart was initially sho- no." The comedic timing of that one word was unparalleled. You and Jerry are truly masters of the craft.

[@wdwerker]

I absolutely love the way they credit all the scientists papers on the subject and present information in an entertaining manner.

[@voidbreather7405]

That's how it's done - if you reference someone else's work within your own, then you need to credit them properly!

[@CorwinFound]

It's interesting to go back to the earliest True Facts. Kinda the opposite of facts. But adding in actual science has made them even funnier because nature is so damn bizarre!

[@III_three]

God bless all those science hippies

[@StudleyDuderight]

And that's how the Ze Frank do.

[@aigis4231]

Float like a Butterfly, Stings when I pee -Muhammad Ali

[@meredithgrubb4497]

😂😂😂

[@cabincreekzeke6257]

That same dirty girl also got me!

[@inkchariot6147]

​@@cabincreekzeke6257So that's the rest of the saying.

[@Norbrookc]

It's why you should always use defensive measures like the lepidopterans do.

[@cycoholic]

Must have received too many kidney punches. 😂

[@Baybren]

I did my thesis on streamwise vortices and as a result I really appreciate the fluid dynamics section of this episode! Also the physics of butterfly coloration are insane, it's crazy how intricate it is!

[@bugtalk84]

Like being in a battlefield in a kimono, that really made me laugh. I love this guy's sense of humour. Humour and education go well together.

[@Bingo_Dingo_Dango]

I had no idea butterflies used thin-film interference to display colors.

[@MrJdsenior]

Those gorgeous metallics on beetles and the like are done that way, too. Or microscopic geometries, like a CD.

[@avalonminpins]

Yes and it fades the older the butterfly gets. The little "tiles" of color fall off over time.

[@DonPandemoniac]

The prism effect!

[@napalmholocaust9093]

It's measured in å (should be capitalized, for anstroms if I spelled it correctly). For copper oxide, the range is 190 to 1260 then repeats and gets dark. I deal with it all the time as a patina, I can get copper neon green or a gold that would fool anyone.

[@scalpingsnake]

I believe blue is a very hard colour for nature to make how they usually make colours so this way evolved as a substitue. I think Magpies have a similar thing if I am not mistaken.

[@VCXZ883]

I saw a post on Tumblr about a catterpillar covered with some sort of waxy, cottony substance that did a good job of warding off the predatory ants that walked past it. One of the comments remarked that many caterpillar defenses work by making them "too confusing to eat."

[@avanelletheclockfriend2515]

I think I know the post you’re talking about, I saw it yesterday on onenicebugperday

[@trumpeterjen]

In case anyone’s curious, the species is Sarbena lignifera :)

[@mikeoxmall69420]

"bro what part do I bite?" "idk bro. it's weird looking"

[@sarafleming9893]

Maybe that’s why humans aren’t blatantly attached by insects. We’re too confusing to them. I know we’re too confusing to me and that’s why I tend to avoid other humans, too. 😂😂

[@Kimmie6772]

I recommend looking up caterpillars in the hemeroplanes genus. They are a type of sphyx/hawk moth that exhibit the best snake mimicry I've ever seen. A songbird ain't gonna try to eat that.

[@OceanSwimmer]

12+ minutes of Ze Frank! Epic! As someone who has been fascinated with insect life for 70+ years, I am so happy you chose Moths and Butterflies for this video study. 🦋🌷💕 Thank you, Ze. 💕🌷🦋

[@HeidiH37]

Someone copy and pasted your comment further up… that’s sad and hilarious at the same time 😅😂

[@akgeber]

2:33 "So if you see butterflies flip flopping all over the place like the flying equivalent of a moshpit..." How haven't I seen it like that before? Beautiful😂🤘

[@justhearmeout3959]

"I saw it on Reddit" being the reason Jerry needs Zefrank as a fact checker is a mood 😂

[@Aaron-zu3xn]

"these wings are razor sharp and people get killed to death"

[@bramvanduijn8086]

@@Aaron-zu3xn It even sounds exactly like reddit writing.

[@sablesaber5930]

@@bramvanduijn8086 Thing is, when a redditor is fact checked, instead of accepting the *true facts* they will do with all their power to say the truth is a lie

[@hedgehog3180]

@@sablesaber5930 That's just an internet thing.

[@quietdevious1]

Probably on r/VentureBros posted by u/TheMonarch

[@jessicamarino7448]

I simultaneously feel sorry for Jerry but also totally dig his vibe. It's a shame we never get to meet him. Tell him to keep on keepin' on.

[@Satellite_Of_Love]

"Jerry, that's a fish!" Poor Jerry. He tries. 😂

[@wrmsnicket]

He was particularly sassy this episode.

[@kubel83]

01:13 "Now being lightweight with huge flappers " Hahahah 😂 don’t know why but that just sounded funny

[@AngelaLRsurfinginstilettos]

Ze Frank narrative videos should be what's shown in school... Everyone would be far more interested. 😁👏🏼🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@bigboy_blowout8769]

Yes Bring it Back. "Ridden hard and put away wet" I actually use this in my everyday vernacular.

[@robertstuart480]

I have been helping bring back "Groovy".

[@llofdarkwater9152]

I use both of these often, as well as "peachy keen".

[@metalmamasue3680]

I do too, my husband asked me how I felt the day after giving birth to our son. I said "ridden hard and put away wet" 😂😂 I had been in labor for days and then it still took me 19 hours of hard labor to deliver him, he was posterior, looking up instead of looking down when he came out, both my sons came out that way. It was back labor and not a lot of fun.

[@kittiwhieldon4329]

Me too but you get some weird looks from dirty minded people. Especially people that know nothing about horses.

[@LegoDork]

I'm an auto mechanic. We use this term all to frequently.

[@DJCallidus]

Moths would freak me out as a small kid. I decided to face my fear and study them. I made a moth catcher. Fascinating creatures. Thanks Ze Frank 🦋 🦋 🦋

[@yourfriendlyinternetmeatshield]

*nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nuuuuuuuh! BATMAN!* I did the same thing with spiders. Love them now, though I don't collect them or anything, just allow and cohabitation with them.

[@MossyMozart]

@DJCallidus - I have been fortunate enough to see a wild Luna Moth twice. So incredibly beautiful!

[@5peciesunkn0wn]

@@MossyMozart I've only seen them once in the wild. They're as soft as they look. :D

[@vickirempel5529]

How fascinating!

[@nellkellino-miller7673]

​@@yourfriendlyinternetmeatshieldI forced myself to sit in the woods at night alone, on a high dose of LSD. The floor was literally a moving carpet of beetles and milipedes and spiders. I can't say it completely eradicated my fear, but it did permanently reduce my fear of creepy crawlies and dark forests.

[@PeterVJaspersFayer]

Classic Ze Frank; Great research, and great narration. These are why I subscribed, and watch them all. Thank you.

[@4RILDIGITAL]

This was such an informative and fun narration about butterflies. The humor kept me engaged while I learned so much about these creatures. Looking forward to watching more animal episodes.

[@MrMastergeek]

“You can try this at home” absolutely killed me ahahahaha

[@metalmamasue3680]

I always laugh out loud like an idiot when watching these videos. Idc if I get strange looks 😂

[@giacatollo]

I tried it, but got interupted by Dad trying to tell me not to be embarrassed, just more discrete.

[@eywine.7762]

"It acts like a sane person would if they picked out a black licorice jelly bean. If you're one of those weirdos that likes them, I don't wanna hear it. It's an abomination." Totally agree and that had me howling with laughter.

[@LaurieAnnCurry]

Same!

[@user-nf1cy2oq5h]

Thank god I’m not the only one who hates those nasty things!!

[@morgenmuffel5747]

Heathens

[@Bijou42]

That's where he lost me...they're the best jelly beans, and jelly beans are awesome to begin with.

[@cosmicraysshotsintothelight]

I used to get hard blocks of black licorice that came will a tiny little sledge hammer to break off pieces with. Well made black licorice is good stuff.

[@silver_crone]

You continue to bring us a bright spot in all the chaos. Thank you for continuing to teach and entertain us all out here.

[@2morrowICU]

4:33 "Butter Blood" LMAO🤣😂🤣

[@edmundlibanio6572]

Butter blood ! Oh great now even vampires have to worry about high cholesterol. 😂

[@L3adb3lly]

I am extremely disappointed that the Bird Poop Moth wasn't in this video. I blame Jerry

[@Bildgesmythe]

Yes!

[@omarsalem1219]

What? That's an actual thing

[@metalmamasue3680]

Same here. I love moths, since they are fellow night creatures. 😊

[@SpeckleKen]

@@omarsalem1219 More than one species has evolved to mimic bird droppings (e.g. Eudryas grata). And at least one (Macrocilix maia) goes the extra mile by smelling bad!

[@Kimmie6772]

Too many poop moths to count.

[@Hei1Bao4]

I love how I always learn something new and am highly entertained by these. Ze Frank is top-tier KZbin content.

[@jennyfranklin514]

You're the BEST. Thank you for making & sharing this great content. ❤️

[@robinauseer499]

Whoa, so complicated and interesting, butterfly colors! Also, I didn't know bats did somersaults when hunting. That's adorable.

[@cosmicraysshotsintothelight]

He used his tail to make sure it didn't get away. Twice (in the video).

[@donavonbain4332]

"Yeah that's right! I taste like crap! Eat me bird! Oh 💩you are!"🤣🤣🤣

[@Bbeff.Baby.]

This channel literally has the both of best worlds. Nature and comedy ? Where have you been all my life?

[@Ty-bz7zx]

Thnx for all the great vids over the yrs! Always stoked when i see a new vid out =)

[@adde9506]

True Facts are the only videos that I like before I watch them. It's never a miss, Ze, NEVER. Thanks for making my day better so consistently!

[@bramvanduijn8086]

Hah! I just did the same thing!

[@KaritKtana]

True, true Though I have to say some of the close-ups are unsuitable for trypophobes like me 😢

[@jodee8687]

I watch them over and over

[@aussiebloke609]

You can't bring back "ridden hard and put away wet" - because I never stopped using that particular phrase in the first place. It's just so usable in so many situations (all of them bad, admittedly.)

[@garrett9354]

You can ride it hard and put it away wet

[@Sweetandsyrupy]

Always excited to see a new True Facts video!

[@kyoswkyosw1216]

Always love your content Mr. Frank! Always makes my days better

[@DonPandemoniac]

If an animal is doing something seemingly stupid, it's probably the result of a clever idea.

[@YEs69th420]

People like to harp on about stuff like the ocean sunfish, giant panda, koala, and sloths. But the reality is that by sheer virtue of existing at all they demonstrate that their strategies are effective and have been for millions of years. We're biased into thinking an animal has to be good at things in very straightforward ways. An animal that's too stupid to exist just wouldn't exist.

[@dominicksolerix2703]

Like being reproductively attracted to fires.

[@yourfriendlyinternetmeatshield]

Going OP in one area does work. Most these things been around longer than us and..... I'm not a doctor (I just play one of T.V.) but I don't like our chances.

[@justicar347]

If it is stupid but it works, it is not stupid.

[@nibs7252]

​@@YEs69th420I mean, the Kakapo exists, and it's basically a miracle that they survived long enough for human conservation efforts to bail them out.

[@danmosley4387]

"Sleeping bag dingle berry." That is funny.

[@marthabuyer8534]

😂

[@bridgetteharmon7615]

I've actually taken to going back and rewatching old long form videos as well. Thank you, good sir, for continuing the episodes. It means far more to me than I can express.😊

[@Detie002]

Almost choked on my snack during the “fart under the duvet” part #welldone 😂

[@samuelreed5266]

I swear, Jerry's playing the long con on how much misinformation he can slip into these videos. Next thing you know, he'll be telling us that crocodiles can gallop.

[@timwoods2852]

Well... an average run speed of 20mph is nothing to sneeze at for an animal mostly built for the water.

[@thewingedporpoise]

and they're so adorable too

[@kittiwhieldon4329]

@@thewingedporpoiseAbsolutely cuddly!

[@MossyMozart]

@@kittiwhieldon4329 - "Here, Jerry - hold mine for a minute."

[@leociresi4292]

Funfact a butterfly flapping its wings can cause mesocyclones in Africa

[@janniecombrinkza]

I get SO happy every time I see a new True Facts video has been published. By far the most unique and entertaining vids on the webz. Thanks Ze Frank!

[@christianolivier4612]

This is the best so far! I'm cracking up here!!

[@colleenkirkpatrick5379]

This is my favorite channel ❤ you guys never fail to make me laugh out loud and lift my spirits, thank you!

[@CassieCat5410]

As a moth enthusiast, this video delighted me 🥰 These creatures are often overlooked but so interesting! Love whipping out the fact that most silk moths don’t have mouths in their adult form and getting a barrage of questions afterward 😂

[@HeidiH37]

🤯

[@darkdragoness5]

Knew that cause I love moths too

[@thehellyousay]

like "what?", "huh?", "who cares?", and "are you drunk?" ...? i get that a lot whenever i bring up the 4th century ce.

[@valkyrie_arts]

Lunar moths don't have mouths either, and I wanna know what cruel being said "y'know what, I'm gonna make a gorgeous buggo, but I'mma make it starve to death by taking away their mouths, HA" 😭

[@juggernautdeath1]

The pink and yellow moth is one of my favorites! A Rosy Maple Moth!

[@jasperzanovich2504]

They do look like candy.

[@Meg_of_all_threads]

It's a favorite of mine too ❤

[@LindaB651]

It's actually a primrose moth. They look very similar and about the same size but, the tail end of the wings, when folded, are yellow on the primrose moth, pink on the rosy maple moth. I found this out last year, after a period of befuddlement- wondering why the local rosy maple moths were tucking themselves into my evening primroses for their nightly nap. Turns out I'd been mis-identifying the species for over fifty years!

[@teshlafreeman4040]

I always call them bubblegum moths

[@metalmamasue3680]

Yes, it's always a treat to see one 😊 I love moths and butterflies, I'm fortunate to live in a very rural area full of beautiful nature. I had a male tiger swallowtail butterfly that got hurt on the one back wing. I saved it from the side of the road, gave it a twig with fruit from the wild black cherry tree out front that I think attracted it in the first place, and some water, and put it in a sheltered place to recover. I checked on it often for a few days. It could fly a little but it kept trying and the fourth day I went out to check on it, it was gone. So I hope it was able to recover and fly away. I've saved snapping turtles from the road, even had a baby one show up at my door lost, in 2018. It was tiny, a brand new hatchling. So I took it in and gave it a good headstart and then released it back into it's wild home when it was large enough to fend for itself without being lunch for another animal. My favorite picture of it is my profile picture. I had literally just fed him an hour before and it was staring at me like "Is it time for 2nd breakfast yet ?" 😂😂 Snapping turtles are bottomless pits lol. I get toads and frogs a lot, we live close to a big river, fields, forest and wonderful habitat for birds and other critters. My son and I watched a gray fox hunting last spring from our back porch. You couldn't pay me to live anywhere else. 😊

[@brll5733]

The fact "larger" and "broader" was down and left of that graph triggers me far more than it should And those intricate wing structures are just crazy. That something so complex can form reliably in organic tissue...

[@ZeTurbocool]

As always, awesome video. I remember when I stumbled upon the Tarsier video witch I still watch once in a while! One of the best if not the best channel on KZbin! Thank you very much!

[@wyldflwr]

"Float like a butterfly🦋, it stings when I pee." ~ Ze Frank 😂

[@Skibbityboo0580]

With how eradic butterflies fly, I wouldn't have believed that Monarchs fly to one spot in Mexico every year if I hadn't seen it myself driving through the millions of them on their way. Glad you explained the situation!

[@DrachenGothik666]

*Erratic.

[@karebushmarebu233]

@@DrachenGothik666 *Ecstatic

[@arthurgabriel2625]

​@@karebushmarebu233*Extra tic

[@SugarandSarcasm]

@@karebushmarebu233*Eccentric

[@DuchessofEarlGrey]

Three generations of monarchs gradually make their way south, then the fourth flies back north in one go.

[@Gaston-Melchiori]

Amazing and funny as always and thanks for putting the citations!

[@everentropy]

Thank you, as always, for actually citing your work and basing this video on current science! Keep up the great work, I love your stuff!

[@jaynorris3722]

Glad Jerry is back even if he isn't doing his job so well. He is funny. Thank you for your videos. They educate and brighten the day.

[@Brigand231]

Jerry is doing his job exactly as he should. Don't try to fix what isn't broken. :)

[@Argonwolfproject]

It feels like classic Ze Frank: video about a bug, Jerry's incompetence, "that's how X do", "behbeh"... it feels like home.

[@mediocregamer2484]

I love watching insect videos, even if i already know some of the things in the video, i still geek out and smile like an idiot the whole time

[@JTA1961]

Well said

[@cosmicraysshotsintothelight]

As long as you didn't run out and join MENSA you'll be alright. :-)

[@orawal]

One of your BEST episodes in terms of blending information with humour. And the wing-wind dynamics animations were simply superb!!!!!

[@l.b8896]

4:47 that was the best realization ever 🤣🤣🤣 it all clicked. Poor Jerry

[@wyvvernstone]

Jerry's sense of humor, though dark, is friggin hilarious.

[@Road_Rash]

I used to have butter blood too... regular medication & a change in diet cleared it right up...

[@kzookid2051]

Another wonderful video! Thanks so much for these. They and you are awesome. Jerry too, just in a different way.

[@kurtcoubben]

Absolute love for each one of your videos, ze!

[@IchigoKurosaki_]

I can't believe you left out that giant moths sometimes have love triangles with giant lizards and gorillas.

[@metaleater730]

Excuse me *what*

[@JPChereb]

@@metaleater730 Godzilla reference.

[@robertstuart480]

The twins just like to watch.

[@JTA1961]

That's what she said

[@gravy7861_]

oh my god, finally youtube notified me of something important. and not two days late

[@WestSydeThuugg]

These true facts videos give me more giggles per minutes than any other youtube channel and I'm extremely grateful for their existence. Thank you so much and please never stop. 😂❤

[@obscuredgurl]

You always give me something "new" and genuine to confuse my parents with ^.^

[@stringbean02]

Should probably get that checked out if it stings when you pee or if you got a sting while you peed

[@LegoDork]

Frank Zappa vibes.

[@HypaBumfuzzle]

You sir, make life brighter. Thank you to you and everyone that helps bring these gems to us!

[@JTA1961]

Fact

[@joemama1691]

I love these videos!! So informative and funny, I get excited when I see a new video drop!!

[@debbieathy5204]

Best channel to listen to if you are going through anything stressful or difficult . This dude always brings a smile to my face and definitely makes me laugh as well.

[@Fungily]

Ze Frank has the amazing ability to turn tons of research into a hilariously good video 🤩

[@dallasbrooks8745]

I can't tell you how much I look forward to your videos. I learn, I listen to your amazing voice, your hilarious bits and jokes; I just love it all. I am so grateful for all the work it must take to make these videos. You live in that wholesome neighborhood of the Internet. Thank you for years of edumacationalizationatory content. It's clearly served me well :).

[@ellenmcintyre1247]

This is a great episode; thank you Ze Frank!!

[@cookdakotacook]

This was such a good video I'm happy you're still making them

[@thechumpsbeendumped.7797]

10:56 It's ok mum, Ze Frank said I should do it to confuse bats.

[@erikarussell1142]

I absolutely love butterflies, night time butterflies, and dragonflies and damselflies! All of them are so fascinating!!

[@CloudStudiosPhoto]

I love watching your videos before bed now! So relaxing 🤙🏽 Always looking forward to the next upload

[@tyeteames7192]

So enjoy and love your videos. Informative, knowledgeable and above all,entertaining. 🎉

[@michaelccopelandsr7120]

A new True Facts! All is right with the world. Thank you Ze, thank you Jerry. ;-P

[@Rubysage1]

Yay! Butterflies and moths are my favorite bugs, this was so cool. I didn't know their wings were so complicated, the microscopic world is crazy.

[@JTA1961]

Fact

[@jewelz6028]

Yessir !!! Ready to start this work week, new ZeFrank

[@erickchristensen746]

The science involved is just crazy and I love it. On top of Zefrank being entertaining as f*ck

[@JJ15ist]

Omg its my birthday and i love Moths/Butterflies. Thank you so much for your videos. They legit bring me joy every time there is a new one.

[@JTA1961]

Happy Birthday

[@Vohlfied]

"Many years ago today something grew inside of your mother. That thing was you!"

[@paulettepedersen8304]

Happy birthday...mine is tomorrow 🎉

[@etherscholar]

I appreciate the diagram explaining "Tastes Delicious" vs "Tastes like Crap" haha, also... butterblood had me rolling. Such incredible things are hidden in the ordinary.

[@JayCalicoCat]

3:34 Ah yes, thank you for telling me which ones taste good & which ones taste like crap. It is quite confusing out here so thank you for the very helpful information. Ah i mean for the birds. I am not a bird.