Flash Post 228!

What’s this?

Button, it’s a photo of a garden clicked by a photographer using infrared lenses.

What colours! It’s beautiful.

Honey bees would see the garden exactly in these colours and as beautiful.

But how?

The eyes of a honey bee are sensitive more towards the blue end of the spectrum and ultra violet. They are totally red-blind. Flowers reflect large amounts of ultra-violet light and bees are drawn to their brightness.

Tell me a little more about bee eyes.

A honey bee has 5 eyes. 2 large compound eyes that are made up of tiny lenses assembled together but not on the same plane.  These tiny lenses catch little bits of an image and form a complete picture, similar to the way a collage is put together. It also has 3 small eyes on the top of its head that helps it to detect light.

Don’t bees see the same colours we do?

No. They also see movement and not stationary objects.

You mean to say that I should not run when a bee comes close to me?

Exactly. The next time you meet up with a bee, stand still. They’ll buzz a little around you and fly away. If you run, they’ll chase and sting.