Rudbeckia fulgida vs Helianthus spp in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of two decorative flowers, made of Orange coneflower - Rudbeckia fulgida in comparison to small sunflower - Helianthus spp 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. 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 comparison is intended to compare our human vison, where both flowers appear nearly identical to our eye, yet bees and other UV sensitive insects cleary see a big difference - a UV bullseye pattern! The Rudbeckia flower (on the left) shows a UV dark bullseye pattern on its petals, invisible to us humans, and the flower center is quite UV dark, whereas the Helianthus flower (on the right) shows no UV pattern at all, except its UV dark center and UV bright petals, and all this gets nicely visible in direct comparison. Actually I saw many more insects visiting Rudbeckias as they were visiting Helianthus, maybe just a coincidence, maybe based on that bright UV pattern Rudbeckias have. Would be interesting to find that out...


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

Mexican Zinnia - Zinnia haagenea in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision XV

Today more shots of a different type of that decorative flower, Mexican Zinnia - Zinnia haagenea 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. All shots were done at about f5.6. I have previously written about those Zinnias HERE.

[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:  


Mexican Zinnia flowers have a very specific UV pattern. Their petals are very UV dark in the middle and bottom, but their petal tips are very UV bright, reaching much deeper into UV as any other flower I know (< 345nm), and all this gets nicely visible in this presentation.


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

Mexican Zinnia - Zinnia haagenea in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision XIV

Today shots of a decorative flower, Mexican Zinnia - Zinnia haagenea 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. All shots were done at about f5.6. I have previously written about those Zinnias HERE.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visible light image  

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

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

Simulated bee vision image using experimental XBV filter:  

Triptych of the above images:  


Mexican Zinnia flowers have a very specific UV pattern. Their petals are very UV dark in the middle and bottom, but their petal tips are very UV bright, reaching much deeper into UV as any other flower I know (< 345nm), and all this gets nicely visible in this presentation.


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

Daucus carota in reflected ultraviolet photography II

Today more detailed shots of that flower of the Apiaceae family, Wild Carrot - Daucus carota in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter. Lens was my CERCO 94mm quartz flourite lens. Light source was sunlight. All shots were done at about f5.6. I have written about that flower HERE before.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visible light image  

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

Diptych of the above images:  


This pretty flower (an inflorescence actually, consisting of many small flowers) has a specific UV pattern, its little individual flower petals are UV bright around 385nm and its pollen seems to reflect around 365nm, and all this gets nicely visible.


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

Japanese Lily - Lilium speciosum in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of a decorative flower, Japanese Lily - Lilium speciosum 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. 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 decorative flower has a specific UV pattern, its petals are quite UV bright around 385nm wheras its pollen is UV dark, and all this gets nicely visible.


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

Stemless Thistle - Carlina acaulis in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of a decorative flower, Stemless Thistle - Carlina acaulis 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. 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 decorative flower has a specific UV pattern, its petals are quite UV bright around 385nm and the flower center is quite UV dark, and all this gets nicely visible.


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

Orange coneflower - Rudbeckia fulgida in simulated bee vision II

Here more shots of that decorative flower meadow made of Orange coneflower - Rudbeckia fulgida var deamii in simulated bee vision using my XBV6 filter. Lens was my CERCO 94mm quartz flourite lens. Light source was sunlight. All shots were done at about f5.6.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visible light image  

Simulated bee vision image using experimental XBV filter:  

Diptych of the above images:  


This attractive flower has a specific UV pattern, its petals have a UV dark bullseye pattern invisible to us humans and the flower center is quite UV dark, and all this gets nicely visible.


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