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Remember, you can't see UV light, so "showing realistic patterns" is tricky conceptually. How do you "show" them to our eyes when that kind of light is invisible?

What's really happening with fluorescent dyes is that the UV is being absorbed and visible light is being radiated. These celebrated patterns are different; reflected UV light, hitting UV-sensitive eyes. For this reason, side-by-side comparisons are useful, labeled "bee eyes" and "human eyes" or some such, and limiting the UV image to a black-and-white analog of UV reflective strength.

Some ideas, most pointedly not from my own direct experience:

Simplest would be pictures. You could also get two sets of fake flowers and paint one with black and white paints to reflect the patterning of UV reflectivity.

Laura has apparently tried this, which I was about to suggest: Get fake flowers (silk, not plastic; UV eats plastic) and paint the areas which will appear bright under UV with *dilute* GITD paint. GITD paint is available in fluorescence wavelengths other than lime green.

http://www.readysetglo.com/Glowpaint_water_bases.asp

Take a look at the "Daytime Yellow" and "Daytime Orange" paints here. Put them on a flower of the same visible-light color.
http://www.glonation.com/unpigmented-glow-paint.html

Get paint, do a few swatches, take them with you to the store and find flowers with similar colors in their petals. Dilute the paint and put patterns on the petals. (this will be tricky since the paint will be quickly absorbed and may be difficult to see.) Don't use much. When you hold them under a UV light, make sure the black light is not the only illumination, since you don't want the message to be that bees see "glowing" flowers. 

"Whitening" detergent (not bleach) also conatins UV sensitive dyes, but I haven't tried experimenting with that.

Marc Taylor
Coordinator, Andrus Planetarium
Hudson River Museum
511 Warburton Avenue
Yonkers, NY 10701
914 963 4550 x223
Fax 963 8558
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Informal Science Education Network
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Anna Grace at
> Explorit
> Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 3:58 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: fake flowers in UV
> 
> 
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of 
> Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and 
> related institutions.
> **************************************************************
> ***************
> 
> Does anyone know where I can get fake flowers that will show  
> realistic patterns under a blacklight? I need something "off the  
> shelf".  As usual, I have no budget or time for custom fabrication.
> 
> Thanks,
> Anna
> 
> Anna Grace
> Exhibit Coordinator
> [log in to unmask]

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