Britannica Sources used in this answer

How do bees use ultraviolet flower patterns to find nectar?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

A honeybee collects pollen from the yellow stamens of a pink and cream honeysuckle flower against a blurred green background. — pollination Common carder bumblebee (*Bombus pascuorum*) pollinating a honeysuckle (*Lonicera* species) flower.

Bees possess a sophisticated color vision system that includes sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation, a range of the spectrum invisible to the human eye. This ability allows them to perceive "nectar guides"—specialized patterns on flower petals that direct them to the source of nectar.12

For example, some flowers that appear uniformly yellow to humans actually reflect ultraviolet light only from the outer edges of their petals. Because the inner portion of the flower does not reflect ultraviolet light in the same way, it creates a distinct visual contrast for the bee, effectively highlighting the center where the nectar is located.1

When bees perceive these specific color combinations and patterns, they instinctively extend their proboscis to feed. These visual cues, combined with the bee's ability to distinguish between various colors and detect aromatic scents, ensure efficient navigation to food sources, which is a vital component of pollination ecology.12