The five eyes of bees

Did you know that bees have 5 eyes ? These particular animals hide really interesting curiosities to be discovered. The way bees see is really different from us humans starting from the perception of colors. Let's find out more about the subject.

Where the eyes of bees are located

The eyes of bees are located on the head and forehead. The bees' head is roughly triangular. At the right and left extremities are the compound eyes , that is the two main eyes of large dimensions. They are made up of thousands of small elements that allow the formation of the image of the surrounding environment.

In addition to these, bees also have three simple eyes called ocelli placed on their foreheads. These small eyes are very useful for the animal to focus the closest objects.

How bees see

The way bees see is truly unique. The physical training they are equipped with allows them to distinguish shapes and the surrounding environment well but does not allow them to see the details of the objects.

The visual structure of the bees is very facilitating during the flight as it covers a good angle, almost completely free of blind spots. The perception of some information is also maximized thanks to the help of antennas which together with sight provide a more complete picture in the detection of colors and shapes.

As for colors, bees are only able to see a few of them. Unlike the human eye, bees have a hard time distinguishing shades of red and their eyesight is more dilated towards all the ultraviolet tones which, however, are not perceptible to us.

Bees can see very well even in the dark. They are able to navigate the electromagnetic field of the earth. Some individuals prefer to lead a night life. In the dark, bees can not only distinguish the flowers, but also determine the path that leads them home. The visual system of these insects adapted perfectly even in unfavorable lighting conditions.

A 360 degree view

Having 5 eyes allows bees to have a very special sight. According to experts, the coverage of perception would arrive at an angle close to 360 °. This set of eyes therefore allows bees to carefully observe the surrounding environment, especially during flight.

The bees' eyes are calibrated in such a way as to allow rapid flight movements without the risk of hitting natural obstacles such as branches, leaves or even predators. The only exception in this case is represented by windows or balconies as the eyes of bees are not able to perceive the presence of glass and it is likely that they can easily bump into it.

Bees perceive ultra violet rays

We have noticed how the view of bees is enormously different from that of humans. These insects are able to perceive a spectrum of colors invisible to us humans. Thanks to the perception of ultraviolet rays they can always orient themselves, even in the absence of the sun.

It is well known that bees know the way to go thanks to the presence of the sun. In fact, they move according to the position of the latter. But what happens when the sky is overcast? Absolutely nothing! Thanks to the detection of ultraviolet rays, bees are able to know the position and the presence of sunlight even in the event of a cloudy sky. Bees will always know how to find their way home. An amazing curiosity isn't it?

Considerations from biologists

According to the studies of Karl Von Frish, an Austrian biologist from the 20th century, bees are very attracted to bright colors . Through some experiments Frish reached some important conclusions. Although bees are unable to see the red color, they are very attracted to poppies. How can this be explained? In reality, poppies are red flowers which, however, reflect clear ultraviolet tones. This is not perceivable by us human beings but by these animals it is. Poppies are also an excellent source of pollen for bees and also for this reason they attract a lot of attention.

What color to paint the hives

Beekeepers paint their hives according to very specific criteria. They know that bees are able to distinguish mainly four colors: yellow (orange, yellowish green), bluish green, blue and ultraviolet.

Using the right colors is essential for your breeding. The use of these colors will allow the bees to orient themselves better and to return to their hive without complications. Accessing the wrong hive could be a risk for them that, not being recognized, could be killed by the rest of the swarm.

Buy queen bees, cores and bee packs

Are you a beekeeper? If you need to buy queen bees , cores and bee packs , choose Apicoltura Laterza! Ours are Italian bees carefully selected and in excellent health. Each product is shipped together with a health certificate attesting to its quality and safety.

Buy directly online! Go to the page of Availability in real time and order your bees now!