Perceiving Pollen: Looking Through the Eyes of a Pollinator

Pollinators are some of the most important creatures on our planet! Pollinators are insects or other critters that convey pollen to a plant, allowing for fertilization. The most well-known pollinators are bees, but wasps, moths, flies, beetles, butterflies, birds, and even small mammals like bats are some of the pollinators that live in our world.

Unlike humans, many pollinators have the power to see ultraviolet (UV) light. This special skill opens up a whole new visual field. Flowers have evolved to take advantage of this by developing UV patterns on their petals, known as “nectar guides,” which act as a landing strip for pollinators. These patterns are invisible to humans but shine brightly to pollinators, directing them to the source of pollen to ensure that pollen is collected and transferred. For example, sunflowers have a bullseye-like pattern that directs bees to the central disc where most of the pollen is located.

Bees, a primary group of pollinators, see color differently than humans. Their world is mostly shades of blue, green, and ultraviolet. This means that Bees are excellent at finding blue and purple flowers. Red flowers however typically appear black in their eyes, unless they reflect UV light which then turns that flower into a bright beacon for those tiny pollinators.

Pollinators are an essential part of biodiversity. Over 80% of the world’s flowers require a pollinator to reproduce. This interaction affects the food supply chain, with pollinators being responsible for one out of every three bites of food we consume. Understanding how pollinators see and interact with flowers can help us protect these important creatures.