BInden ferulifolia: visible. invisble, insect vision

Bidens ferulifolia shot using the CERCO 94mm lens and a Xenon flash.


I found this ensemble rather interesting, as I could get an "unripe" flower also into the picture - without signs of UV pattern.

Dr Klaus Schmitt said:

Bidens ferulifolia shot using the CERCO 94mm lens and a Xenon flash.

Visible light:

Insect (bee) vison:

Invisible (ultraviolet):

I found this ensemble rather interesting, as I could get an "unripe" flower also into the picture - without signs of UV pattern.

Click to expand...

Klaus,

Now we'd want a video of insects visiting and see f the recognize the unripe flower as a waste of time? Or do the plants still give them the welcome nectar anyway?

Asher

Insects easily differentiate between "ripe" and "unripe" flowers and no, only ripe one have nectar from what I know from my biology colleagues....

Dr Klaus Schmitt said:

Insects easily differentiate between "ripe" and "unripe" flowers and no, only ripe one have nectar from what I know from my biology colleagues....

Click to expand...

That is entirely reasonable. However, I have come to believe that some insects, such as bees, can also detect a ripe flower that has already had its nectar taken.

A couple of weeks ago one of our apple trees had come into full blossom and many bees were around it. I noticed one nice bunch of blossom: most of the buds had not fully opened, but one was ripe and a bee was on it. It made a nice composition, so I set up camera on tripod, with a 90mm macro lens, focussed and waited for the next bee to come, with my finger on the shutter button. Lots of bees were flying around, apparently taking no notice of me - I was keeping very still with my finger on the button. Several bees approached the bunch of blossom and I hoped for a nice picture, but time and again the bee veered off when about 2 - 3 inches from the mature flower. They all seemed to detect that the earlier bee had drunk the nectar, and therefore there was no point in them visiting that flower. I gave up after three-quarters of an hour of silent expectation. Very frustrating.

Martin

Martin Evans said:

That is entirely reasonable. However, I have come to believe that some insects, such as bees, can also detect a ripe flower that has already had its nectar taken.

A couple of weeks ago one of our apple trees had come into full blossom and many bees were around it. I noticed one nice bunch of blossom: most of the buds had not fully opened, but one was ripe and a bee was on it. It made a nice composition, so I set up camera on tripod, with a 90mm macro lens, focussed and waited for the next bee to come, with my finger on the shutter button. Lots of bees were flying around, apparently taking no notice of me - I was keeping very still with my finger on the button. Several bees approached the bunch of blossom and I hoped for a nice picture, but time and again the bee veered off when about 2 - 3 inches from the mature flower. They all seemed to detect that the earlier bee had drunk the nectar, and therefore there was no point in them visiting that flower. I gave up after three-quarters of an hour of silent expectation. Very frustrating.

Click to expand...

Martin,

An excellent report and observation on bee behavior. Still, we do not know what would happen if you were set up identically by ripe flowers not recently visited by bees. It's an interesting subject and would only take a total of 6 observations, 3 for each condition of the flower, to be confirmed. That would mean 5 more 3/4 of an hour tests! Maybe you could reduce the time to 30 minutes!

Asher

Martin Evans said:

That is entirely reasonable. However, I have come to believe that some insects, such as bees, can also detect a ripe flower that has already had its nectar taken.

A couple of weeks ago one of our apple trees had come into full blossom and many bees were around it. I noticed one nice bunch of blossom: most of the buds had not fully opened, but one was ripe and a bee was on it. It made a nice composition, so I set up camera on tripod, with a 90mm macro lens, focussed and waited for the next bee to come, with my finger on the shutter button. Lots of bees were flying around, apparently taking no notice of me - I was keeping very still with my finger on the button. Several bees approached the bunch of blossom and I hoped for a nice picture, but time and again the bee veered off when about 2 - 3 inches from the mature flower. They all seemed to detect that the earlier bee had drunk the nectar, and therefore there was no point in them visiting that flower. I gave up after three-quarters of an hour of silent expectation. Very frustrating.

Click to expand...

Martin,

An excellent report and observation on bee behavior. Still, we do not know what would happen if you were set up identically by ripe flowers not recently visited by bees. It's an interesting subject and would only take a total of 6 observations, 3 for each condition of the flower, to be confirmed. That would mean 5 more 3/4 of an hour tests! Maybe you could reduce the time to 30 minutes!

Asher

Thanks for your suggestion, Asher. You have a good grasp of sound experimental design!

Alas, the apple tree is no longer in blossom. The petals are all over the grass.

OK, I could try your protocol out on some later flowering plant. But I fear that we may be straying a bit off topic, and should continue this on some animal behaviour forum

Cheers,

Martin

Martin Evans said:

Thanks for your suggestion, Asher. You have a good grasp of sound experimental design!

Alas, the apple tree is no longer in blossom. The petals are all over the grass.

OK, I could try your protocol out on some later flowering plant. But I fear that we may be straying a bit off topic, and should continue this on some animal behaviour forum

Cheers,

Martin

Click to expand...

Martin,

Let's see when apples and pears are next in blossom. Maybe we could see who has Uv capable lenses to do such tests!

Asher