Work over the last decade has shown that a major function of eyespots is their ability to reduce predation by being intimidating to attacking predators. Two competing hypotheses seek to explain the cause of intimidation, one suggesting 'eye-mimicry' and the other their 'conspicuousness' as the reason.

What is the purpose of eyespots?

The markings encourage an attacker to aim for parts of the insect's body that aren't vital for its survival - such as the edges of the wings. 'The eyespots might be used to draw attention. If a predator hits the head, it will kill the butterfly or moth instantly.

Why do some protist have eyespots?

The eyespot apparatus (or stigma) is a photoreceptive organelle found in the flagellate or (motile) cells of green algae and other unicellular photosynthetic organisms such as euglenids. ... Eyespot-mediated light perception helps the cells in finding an environment with optimal light conditions for photosynthesis.