Bumblebees directly perceive variations in the spectral quality of illumination |
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Authors: | Adrian G Dyer |
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Institution: | 1. Institut fur Zoologie III (Neurobiologie), Johannes Gutenberg-Universit?t, Mainz, Germany 2. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EA, Cambridge, UK
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Abstract: | Individual bumblebees were tested on a task of walking along a test tunnel to collect sucrose solution in an initial training
illumination condition that simulated natural daylight, and in two spectrally different illumination conditions. Compared
to the training condition the bees took a significantly longer time to complete the task in conditions that simulated either
an ultraviolet negative illumination environment, or an illumination environment that represented blue skylight. In a control
condition, bees did not derive this cue from spectral information reflected from the dark background material. This result
shows that bees can directly perceive spectral changes in illumination conditions, even in the context of a task that does
not require colour processing. This potentially enables the visual system of bees to have prior knowledge about the spectral
quality of illumination conditions in which they may forage. The findings are discussed in relation to both theoretical models
and empirical evidence of colour constancy, and it is concluded that bees can use multiple mechanisms to solve the dilemma
posed by having to find colour targets in the spectrally different illumination conditions that exist for insects visiting
flowers. |
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Keywords: | Colour constancy Ultraviolet Vision Skylight Flower visiting |
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