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> From: Garth <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Are short sighted bees easier to work with??
> Date: Sun, 11 Jan 1998 22:52:40 GMT+0200
>
> Subject: Are short sighted bees easier to work with??
 
Hello Garth:
 
Your query suggests that perhaps the point that honey bees are insects
possessing   "compound eyes" (and about 3 additional simpler light
receptors) means in short that their sight is tragically short in quality,
as  compared to most higher species.  If YOUR sight, Garth, was no better
the the bee's sight, you would be legally blind; color perceptions are
limited somewhat and you are probably correct to judge that they probably
cannot tell the difference between your white shorts and the white hive,
though there are enough visual flags recognisable near the hive to help
guide them in;  they see almost every thing mainly as fairly  coarse
patterns.
There are some references available, and if you will look in the Rhodes
University library, you might find an interesting book entitled "The Honey
Bee" by James L. and Carol Grant Gould, Copyright 1988 by Scientific
American Library.  Here you will find some 30 pages (157-185) devoted to
"Flower Learning", describing in some detail, and some of the mechanics of
how the bees "see".
(Everyone may refrain from writing in to tell me that these authors
(erroneously?) also spend a lot of time pursueing either true or false
perceptions of honeybee navigation, communication, and dance
language.....though pro or con, this is also an interesting concept to say
the least)
There are doubtless other sources of insect compound eye vison in your
library availble there as well.   My typing is just  too slow, and the
information too great for me to undertake the required discussion here!
 
Good luck!
Bob Barnett, Birmingham, Alabama.