Malayan Five-Ring butterfly

On a hollowed-out green leaf, a brown butterfly was perched. It appeared to be sunbathing, as I could see its wings exposed to the gentle sunlight. It was a Malayan Five-Ring butterfly, or Ypthima horsfieldii in Latin. It is a medium-sized butterfly from the Nymphalidae family.

I found the butterfly with its wings fully extended. When I met this butterfly, I felt a mixture of admiration and pity. Seeing the beautiful colors of its wings, I was in awe. However, when I saw that one of its wings was deformed, I felt sad. It must have struggled to fly. It must have been the work of a predator. Hopefully, no other predators would attack it later.

Although its wings were no longer perfect, its beauty hadn't faded at all. It still looked stunning. Its entire body was a brown color that closely resembled a dried leaf. Each wingtip had a black dot that resembled an eye, especially the one on the tip of its hind wing, which looked very much like a pair of eyes. They are false eyes to deceive predators.

I imagined if the butterfly's wings weren't for those false eyes. I'm sure it would no longer exist. A mere memory. It would have been turned into a tasty snack by predators. When predators hunt butterflies or other insects, they target the head area. Because that's the center of their life.