Opuntia humifusa in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision

Today shots of a decorative plant, a Prickly pear - Opuntia humifusa in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter as well as my XBV filters for simulating bee and butterfly vision. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was sunlight.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, UV, simulated butterfly and bee vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

These Opuntia flowers have a unique UV reflection, In UV the petals have inside a metallic like shine that reflects UV strongly, maybe to attract pollinators. otherwise there is no distinctive UV pattern, and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee and butterfly vision.

I have written about that flower before 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