Ashy Sunflower - Helianthus mollis in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of a Prairie flower, Ashy Sunflower - Helianthus mollis in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter as well as in simulated bee vision using my XBV6 filter. Lens was my CERCO 94mm quartz flourite lens. Light source was sunlight shining at but mostly through the flower as it appears translucent. All shots were done at about f5.6.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visible light image  

UV image using Baader-U filter (approx. 320-395nm, effective peak approx. 375nm):  

Simulated bee vision image using experimental XBV filter:  

Triptych of the above images:  


This flower has a specific and unique UV pattern, its petals are UV reflective/translucent around 385nm up to the middle (which I haven't seen anywhere before) and the rest and its center is UV dark forming an UV bullseye pattern, and all this gets nicely visible. It turned out to be quite difficult to map this specific pattern into the bee vision image. I will do more research about this species...

There is more about that flower HERE.

Stay tuned, more will follow on that fascinating subject...