Creeping Zinnia - UV pattern when "bee ready"?

I noticed that on a Creeping Zinnia young flowers (in front) do not show a prominent UV pattern, but others do (the one in the back), which are ready for pollination. 

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visible light image 


Simulated butterfly vision (UV=blue) 


I wonder if that UV pattern would disappear when pollination has successfully happened? I guess that would be worth some scientific study (or maybe I should do it?)... 

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

Bidens - how she does it (simulated butterfly vision)

Bidens never ceases to amaze me...

The far-away white/yellow guide for insects is completely invisible for us. Then the blue UV reflection of the "husk" protecting the stamen + pollen just before it opens up to reveal the pollen, yet at the same time acting as a guide for the insects when they are close enough (insects only see sharp close-up). 

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visible light image 


Simulated butterfly vision (UV=blue) 


These are my personal assumptions btw. and I would think it would be worth working on that scientifically...maybe I should. Isn't nature simply amazing....?!

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

Gazania - how she does it (butterfly vision simulated)

Already last year I showed some images of a south african Gazania flower. I was wondering how she attracts insects, so I used my bee / butterfly vision filter and took some shots. Here the astonishing results.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visible light shot 

Butterfly vision (simulated) shot (UV=blue) 


Well, I guess now we know what she "does", the pollen lights up strongly around the flower petals in the central part. They have a quite strong UV reflectance also, so like a concentrated ray of light shoots out of that flower to attract insects!


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

Potentilla multispectral

Well, also some flowers of the genus Potentilla (Sulfur Cinquefoil) has a very interesting pattern which only shows in ultraviolet, so I took a chance to shoot that interesting little flower using a UV-Planar 4/60mm lens and various filters /  lightsources.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visual shot 


BV (simulated bee vision) shot 


UV (300-400nm) shot 


UV+FL shot 


FL (UV induced visilble fluorescence) shot 



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

Creeping Zinnia multispectral

The first Creeping Zinnias appeared in 2010, so I took a chance to shoot that interesting little flower using a UV-Planar4/60mm lens and various filters and lightsources.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visual shot 


FL (UV induced visilble fluorescence) shot 


UV+FL shot 


UV (300-400nm) shot 


BV (simulated bee vision) shot 



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

Close to ground - insect vision

In my quest to find out how insects may see our world, here a view Spring 2010 impressions using my relay lens system - close to ground.

[click on image to see a larger one]
























[the light effects are intentional btw.]

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

New Book: Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants

There is a new book on the market by W. Stuppy et al. the  "Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants", published by Papadakis Publishing house (also available at amazon ) which also features my work of bees seeing plants in UV very differently than how we do. 

Wolfgang Stuppy is the seed morphologist for the Millennium Seed Bank Project at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and it has been a pleasure and honor to have been asked to be part of his amazing book. His images are so stunning, a great coffee table book just for viewing pleasure, but also for the scientifically interested reader, as it also has plenty of explanatory text in it.

Some detailed images:

all images (c) Papadakis and W. Stuppy.

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

Butterfly on Rudbeckia tetrachromatic - 3D Stereo

Well, I tried something, let me know if that works for you... Butterfly on Rudbeckia flower, simulated tetrachromatic, cross-eyed 3D image.

Tutorial how to see 3D images

[click on image to see larger]






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

[FL] Another Bouquet: Gerber Daisy, Hyacinth, Roses,...

Here a UV induced visible fluorescence shot of another flower bouquet using Nichia 365nm UV LED and a 400-700nm UV/IR Cut filter.

[click on image to see a larger one]

and here for comparison the white light (5600K LED) shot



closer to see more details...





Well and here as another comparison, what happens when a Xenon flash with UV filter is used to stimulate fluorescence.

UV Xenon flash, but that leads to IR + red contamination as may be seen here:



and here now using a BG filter to compensate for that



but in overall comparison, the Nichia UV LED wins hands down IMHO!


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

[FL, VIS] Easter Bouquet

Happy Easter everyone (in UV induced visible fluorescence and normal visible light that is)!

[click on image to see a larger one]

Normal visible light image using UV/IR cut filter:


UV induced visible fluorescence (using Nichia 365nm UV LED) and UV/IR cut filter: 


...and a Ranuncula bud in closeup: 

Shot using my UV-Rodagon 60mm and a 400-700nm UV/IR cut filter; UV source was my Nichia 365nm UV LED for the FL shots.

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