Optics and Vision Blog #5- Morgan Grimes


UV Vision in Bees
Human sight and perception is a fascinating part of the human experience. We interpret the world using the visible light spectrum, which is a wavelength of light ranging from about 400 to 700 nanometers. The human eye works to collect light and project images onto the back of the eye, or the retina. This is where our cones and rods are that perceive color. This is also where the optic nerve is that sends the images to the brain, where we can process them. Most eyes in animals work in a similar manner, but each species has minute or drastic changes that allow them to see and perceive adequately to their unique environmental needs. One creature that has developed an interesting such adaptation is bees. 
The rods and cones in the human eye that perceive colors come in three types, red, green, and blue. This allows the human eye to perceive colors from red to purple throughout the visible spectrum. Bees also have three different cones in their eyes, but they are different then ours. Two are the same, bees can see blue and green light, but their third cone is ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light is between 200 and 400 nanometers and is generally invisible to humans except in very rare cases. Bees on the other hand use the ultraviolet light spectrum to help them find and pollinate flowers.
Since Bees can see Ultraviolet light, flowers have developed a unique adaptation to help them. Flowers have developed UV absorbing and UV reflecting cells in their petals. This means that flowers have developed a way to create patterns in the UV spectrum that bees can see. These patterns help the bees to find and easily distinguish between individual flowers. The patterns also resemble bulls-eyes and give the bees a neon sign pointing to the pollen and the sexual organs of the flower. This symbiotic relationship helps the bees find food, and also allows for quick and easy pollination and reproduction for flowers. 
Scientists have found a way to measure the UV light and patterns emitted by flowers. What they have found is that the bullseye patterns are created by the reflection and absorption of UV light. The part of the flower found to absorb UV light was the base of the petals, while the tips were found to reflect UV light. Different shapes of the petal structure cause this absorption and reflection of UV light. The areas which absorb UV light are more pyramid or cone-like while the areas that reflect it are more rounded.
This unique evolutionary adaptation is just one example of how optics are changed from species to species to help aid their specific needs. This is one of the incredible symbiotic relationships that has developed over thousands of years between flowers and their pollinators. Optics is a fascinating study across all species. The way that we consume and interpret light waves is an incredible feat from start to finish.
            

Photography  by Craig Burrows
Found in National Geographic 


Ultraviolet patterns of flowers revealed in polymer replica – caused by surface architecture
  1. Anna J. Schulte, 
    2.  
  2. Matthias Mail, 
    3.  
  3. Lisa A. Hahnand 
    4.  
  4. Wilhelm Barthlot


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