Common Thyme - Thymus vulgaris in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of a well known early spring flower, Common Thyme - Thymus vulgaris. in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision. All shots were done at about f5.6 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV6 filter for simulated bee vision. Lens was a CERCO 94mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was sunlight.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Triptych of human vision, UV and simulated bee vision (left to right):
 

Common Thyme has a less prominent UV pattern, its petals however are quite UV bright around 380nm, and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee vision.

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

Himalayan mayapple - Podophyllum hexandrum in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of an early spring flower, Himalayan mayapple - Podophyllum hexandrum. in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision. All shots were done at about f5.6 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV6 filter for simulated bee vision. Lens was a CERCO 94mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was sunlight.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Triptych of human vision, UV and simulated bee vision (left to right):
 

This Himalayan mayapple flower has a less prominent UV pattern, its petals however are quite UV bright around 380nm, and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee vision.

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

Shikoko Cobra Lilly - Arisaema sikokianum in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of a rare early spring flower, common in Japan at Shikoko island, Shikoko Cobra Lilly - Arisaema sikokianum. in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision. All shots were done at about f5.6 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV6 filter for simulated bee vision. Lens was a CERCO 94mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was sunlight.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Triptych of human vision, UV and simulated bee vision (left to right):
 
 
 

This Cobra Lilly flower has are extremely UV bright cup around 370nm, with parts drifting towards 380nm and its spadix has UV bright veins leading towards the cup. And all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee vision. There is however something lighting up around 340nm that caught my attention and I will investigate on that.

There is more about that deep UV reflection of this flower HERE
 
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

Flax - Linum angustifolium in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of an early spring flower, Flax - Linum angustifolium. in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision. All shots were done at about f5.6 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV6 filter for simulated bee vision. Lens was a CERCO 94mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was sunlight.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Triptych of human vision, UV and simulated bee vision (left to right):
 

This Flax flower has a less prominent UV pattern, its petals however are quite UV bright around 380nm, its center is dark in UV forming the typical bullseye pattern and there are also UV dark veins visible leading to the UV dark center, where the nectar is and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee vision.

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

Star-of-Bethlehem - Ornithogalum umbellatum in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of an early spring flower, Star-of-Bethlehem - Ornithogalum umbellatum. in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision. All shots were done at about f5.6 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV6 filter for simulated bee vision. Lens was a CERCO 94mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was sunlight.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Triptych of human vision, UV and simulated bee vision (left to right):
 

This Star-of-Bethlehem flower has a less prominent UV pattern, its petals however are very UV bright around 370nm, its center is a bit darker in UV and shows a shifted reflection to about 380nm and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee vision.

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

Field Buttercup - Ranunculus acris in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of a spring flower, a Field Buttercup - Ranunculus acris in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter as well as my XBV6 filter for simulating bee vision. Lens was a CERCO 94mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was sunlight. All shots were done at about f5.6.

This well known plant has a very unique feature, it has very reflective petals which are able to light up your skin if held beneath. I make this visible here in human vision, ultraviolet and simulated bee vision.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Triptych of human vision, UV and simulated bee vision showing strong 45 degree reflection. Undersides are very UV dark, just petal inside reflect strongly UV (left to right):

 
 
 
 

Triptych of human vision, UV and simulated bee vision (left to right) showing how much this flower stands out for its pollinators against the background :
 

This Ranunculus flower indeed shows a quite unique feature, very strong specular highlights and directional reflection under a 45 degree angle. It also has a very specific UV bulls eye pattern, its petals are bright in UV around 365nm, but its center is very UV dark and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee vision.

There is a very interesting scientific paper about that HERE
 
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