Perception

The truism that everything is a matter of perception is well illustrated by these remarkable photographs taken by Norwegian Scientist-Photographer Bjorn Roslett, in his presentation of a series of flowers in both natural and ultra-violet light, revealing an insect's eye-view.

A garden in bloom is a riot of colours, but it is not our attention that flowers are eager to attract - it is that of insects, their pollinating agents.

The first photograph is of the Spring Crocus as we would see it.

And then as represented by ultra violet light, the crocus in the next photograph makes it easy for the insect to land by creating three bands of colour - to make it easy for the insect to land on the flower and thereby facilitate pollination.

Ultra violet light, invisible to us, uncovers patterns and colours in flowers that draws insects to the source of pollen and nectar. Because we cannot see UV light, the colours in these photographs are representational.

As in the above photograph of a Dandelion, these photographs show that there is more to flowers than meets the human eye! In this respect, many species (including bees) can see a broader spectrum of light than we can. In so many ways there is much in the world invisible to us.