UV light

[Ray]

Reading in one of the BeeK magazines about what colors honey bees can see. The article claimed that the honeybee can see in the ultraviolet spectrum.
Some detergents have a UV dye in them, to make the whites whiter and the colors brighter.
My brother claimed that deer saw a glowing silhouette, when looking at a camo-clothed hunter, if his clothes were wash with a detergent with UV dyes.
I wonder if the bees have a similar perception.
What say ye  other than I've been away from my bees to long!

[rwlaw]

Wish I could supply the link but for some reason it got locked. The bit was on what bees see, I remember was a flower that was red with white stripes. The red was a dark purple and the stripes were a fluorescent white, very much like a landing strip markings. It was cool.

[Perry]

I don't think bees can see red.

[rwlaw]

Found a fairly good site
https://natureodes.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/see-like-a-bee-ultraviolet-flower-photography-2/
Your right Perry, they don't see that much of the red spectrum it appears black

[Ray]

Thanks rwlaw, that's a great link.
I was wondering how the UV dye in our clothes would effect the bees? I usually wear my work uniform when I'm working the hives. The uniforms are a dingy blue, the 'rules' say to wear light colors. The bees don't mind my uniform, so I was wondering if there was something I wasn't seeing.
(  as foghorn leghorn would say... 'wasn't seeing that is' 'UV light' 'that's a joke son') Cabin fever is getting to me.

[rwlaw]

I'm athinking, don't really care what my bees see on my clothing, long as it isn't a target.

[Perry]

I'm athinking, don't really care what my bees see on my clothing, long as it isn't a target.