Some plants know how to attract nectar-seeking insects. For this they use chemical compounds that excite their sensitive vision to ultraviolet radiation.
In addition, the same substances repel other insects that try to feed on them, such as caterpillars. Even before the flower bud opens, it is covered with these substances called DIP, which have been discovered by a team of entomologists at Cornell University in the United States. The pigments dye the flower with a color invisible to the human eye, but perceptible to the ultraviolet vision of some pollinating insects, such as bees.
Researchers have found these pigments in Hypericum calycinum, a Southeastern European plant with uniform yellow flowers. For insects with ultraviolet-sensitive eyes, however, what stands out is a darker central point, towards which they will head without hesitation.
Now, experts are studying whether the visual patterns displayed could also help insects recognize one flower among many others.
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