[click on image to see a larger one]
Well another one of my "bee vision" series, so what you see here is UV+Blue+Green, in this case a Rudbeckia fulgida nearly buried between masses of high growing green prairie grass. The flowers petals are all yellow, no visible pattern and the center is pitch black (that why it carries the common name "Blackeyed Susan") - well, but only to the human eye...
Maybe I should say a bit more about this: Grass and foliage also reflect a lot of UV. So "just" having a high UV reflection does not help a flower much to be found by its pollinators - it needs a bit more "creativity". So how does it make sure to stand out of the crowd? Some flowers found a tricky way, they create a "landing platform" for bees and bumble bees, consisting of concentric rings (or other "nectar guides"), like that white and another green one. And inside there is that bright UV reflective center. But only with the help of these contrasting petals around it stands it out. But why is that invisble to us humans? Very simple actually, since nature is so efficient: we don't pollinate flowers, so why should evolution develop something visible to us if the flower has no benefit from us??
Stay tuned, more will follow on that fascinating subject...
More info on this very interesting field may be found on my site http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos
