Tag Archive for 'Apis'

Vasas et al. show 3 male orange sulphurs (Colias eurytheme). These butterflies display strong angle-dependent UV iridescence on the dorsal side of their wings. The UV-iridescent portions appear more orange to the human observer than the otherwise yellow wings (see human-visible inset). The avian false color depiction (main image) is based on the coordinates of the receptor noise-limited (RNL) opponent space. Coordinates in this space represent differences in an animal’s photoreceptor responses, and the distances between the coordinates approximate the perceptual distances between the colors. The inset color key illustrates human-visible colors around the perimeter of a circle colored according to RNL coordinates, where UV colors start at the epicenter and mix with other colors. In this depiction, the UV-iridescent portions appear purple, because they most strongly reflect in the ultraviolet and the red part of the spectrum. The ventral part of the wings, visible when the animals are in their resting position, are depicted as gray-brown, just like the leaves, as they are close to the achromatic point. Image credit: Vasas et al., doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002444.

Novel Camera System and Software Records Natural Animal-View Videos with Over 90% Accuracy

Jan 24, 2024 by News Staff

A new camera system and associated software package allows scientists to produce videos that accurately replicate the colors that different animals see...

Western honeybees (Apis mellifera). Image credit: PollyDot.

Western Honeybees May Have Originated in Asia, New Study Says

Dec 3, 2021 by News Staff

The origin of the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) has been intensely debated. Addressing this knowledge gap is essential for understanding the evolution...

Vespa soror hornets attack a hive of eastern honeybees (Apis cerana) in Vietnam. Image credit: Heather Mattila / Wellesley College.

Study: Eastern Honeybees Use Specific Sound to Communicate Threat of Giant Hornets

Nov 10, 2021 by News Staff

An international team of researchers has documented the unique vibroacoustic signals the eastern honeybees (Apis cerana) use to alert members of their...

An eastern honeybee (Apis cerana). Image credit: Rushen B.

Eastern Honeybees Use Animal Feces to Protect Their Colonies from Giant Hornets

Dec 11, 2020 by News Staff

In a paper published this week in the journal PLoS ONE, an international team of researchers described an extraordinary collective defense used by eastern...