This study employed a soft lithography technique to fabricate a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) replica of the multi-layered scales on the upper surface of a Morpho butterfly. The bionic photonic crystal microstructure of the replicated scales was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The absorptivity, reflectivity and fluorescent characteristics of the wing were measured. The results showed that the microstructural and optical characteristics of the replicated wing qualitatively agree with those of the actual wing. The contact angle for the natural wing structure and the replicated wing were about 143 degrees and 120 degrees, respectively. As a result, it can be inferred that the soft lithography technique employed in this study represents a viable approach for the mass production of artificial photonic crystal structures for a variety of commercial applications, including optical elements for computing and communications purposes, photonic integrated circuits, anti-counterfeiting mechanisms, and so forth. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.