FLOWERS THROUGH INSECT EYES

Abstract

A new method of reconstructing the images of flowers as insects may see them is described. The method is based on the analysis of video recordings of flowers made through specially selected filters and a UV-sensitive camera. The recordings can be made under natural illumination conditions in the field. To select an appropriate set of filters we analyzed more than 1000 reflectance spectra of flowers. To reconstruct the images we used the results of optical studies of the honeybee eye and receptor spectral sensitivities of this insect. As an example of the application of the method, we show how the eye of the honeybee resolves color patterns and the corolla shape of a single flower of Orchis caspia Trautv.