>Greetings,
>
>I remember reading somewhere that bees can "see" in the ultraviolet
>spectrum.  Is this true?
 
Hi,
 
YES, Yes, yes.
 
and in fact flowers are very much more visible in the UV.
The colors we see in flowers is nothing important for
the flowers... but what they have in the UV is important.
 
 
When a tree can't change quickly it's flowers color,
but if you look at a flower in the UV, you will see
that a few minutes after that a bee vesited it, its
color will vanish.
 
You will also see that on the flower there are some
patterns to show where to search... So the bee can be
very quick to visit flowers. If the flower is easy to
visit, the chance the bees visit that specie is higher.
 
Don't forget that tree are trying for millions of
years to attract bees. They put nectar on the flowers
to attract bees, but what they want is thatt the bee
transport pollen.
 
 
What is also amasing is the fact that bulb flowers
produce nectar and very few pollen: at that time
there shoud be no brood.
 
Willow (Salix ~) comes just later... and produce a
lot of pollen and nectar: brood is starting so a
flower that produce mainly nectar will not attract bees.
The design of willow flower is made in such a way
that rain will not wash the nectar down : it's raining
at that time of the year.
 
Linden (Tilia ~) flowers at the time bees have to make their
winter reserves. So it produce mostly nectar.
 
 
Have a close look at flowers, you will see that bees
are changing the way you will see tree,...
 
 
Regards,
 
 
 
 
Bernard.
 
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 *   Bernard Heymans                    [log in to unmask]        *
 *   Informix Bruxelles                 -32-2 - 711 11 30            *
 *   Support Contract Specialist                                     *
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