Electric Buzzaloo: How Bees See the Invisible

Dr. Johansson explains the mutualistic relationship between bees and flowers, highlighting how bees find flowers using visual and electric cues. Flowers have evolved to attract bees with nectar and UV patterns, while bees have adapted to sense these signals. This relationship, developed over millions of years, is crucial for pollination and the survival of both species.

What is the primary benefit that flowers receive from bees in their mutualistic relationship?

• Increased sunlight exposure

• Spread of their genetic material

• Protection from predators

• Enhanced growth rate

How do bees perceive flowers differently from humans?

• They see flowers in black and white

• They see flowers in infrared light

• They see flowers in x-ray vision

• They see flowers in ultraviolet light

What role do special pigments in flowers play in attracting bees?

• They produce a sweet scent

• They create a visual bullseye

• They emit a buzzing sound

• They change the flower's shape

How do bees use electric fields to interact with flowers?

• They use it to change the flower's color

• They use it to communicate with other bees

• They use it to detect the flower's scent

• They use it to transfer pollen

What helps bees determine if a flower has already been visited by another bee?

• The flower's size decreases

• The flower's electric field changes

• The flower's scent diminishes

• The flower's color changes