Nocturnal bees learn landmark colours in starlight

Abstract

the Indian carpenter bee Xylocopa tranquebarica (Fabricius), which flies even on moonless nights [3], uses colour vision to discriminate artificial landmarks at the nest in starlight. Humans, in contrast, are colour-blind at half-moon illumination. This finding, obtained using natural nests under natural illumination, is remarkable because insensitive apposition eyes were thought unable to support nocturnal colour vision. Hitherto, nocturnal colour vision was known only in nocturnal hawkmoths [4] and geckos [5], animals with eyes well adapted to nocturnality.Outdoor experiments were conducted at natural nests within Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra State, in the Western Ghats of India (see [3]), between December 2007 and March 2008. Experiments were performed each night when the bees started flying, approximately half an hour after sunset (which was between 18:00 and 19:00 hours). Experiments usually continued until 03:00 the

Three spectrally distinct photoreceptors in diurnal and nocturnal Australian ants

“…In such cases, spectral information may improve the reliability of navigational cues. To our knowledge, the only study addressing the possible role of colour vision in landmark guidance [53], as distinct from target recognition or beacon aiming [2], unfortunately failed to control for luminance cues. The evolution of trichromacy in arthropods, including insects, predates the evolution of flowers [54] and we propose here that the most fundamental common need for colour vision may well have been in the context of landmark guidance.…”

Nocturnal light environments and species ecology: implications for nocturnal color vision in forests

“…Nocturnal color vision has been documented in frogs (Gomez et al, 2010), geckos (Roth and Kelber, 2004) and insects (Kelber et al, 2002;Somanathan et al, 2008); however, its feasibility among mammals is still hotly debated. Some researchers suggest that color discrimination at night may be a physiological reality for certain species (Perry et al, 2007;Warrant, 2008;Müller et al, 2009;Zhao et al, 2009a;Zhao et al, 2009b;Melin et al, 2012), whereas others view it as unlikely (Ahnelt and Kolb, 2000;Wang et al, 2004).…”

“…Recent discoveries of functional color vision at low light levels among nocturnal geckos, tree frogs, bees and hawkmoths (Kelber et al, 2002;Roth and Kelber, 2004;Somanathan et al, 2008;Gomez et al, 2010) have prompted a re-evaluation of the importance of color vision for nocturnal animals. Traditionally, the low light intensities available in nocturnal environments were believed to preclude color discrimination (Walls, 1942;Ahnelt and Kolb, 2000).…”

Vision in dim light: highlights and challenges

“…the minimum intensity of light which is just perceivable) measured for pigeons, humans, Tawny owls and cats. Dashed blue line indicates the very low intensity at which the nocturnal Indian carpenter bee Xylocopa tranquebarica (figure 1a)-despite small apposition compound eyes and a tiny brain-is able to use trichromatic colour vision while flying and foraging at night [1]. This intensity is likely to be 1 -2 orders of magnitude higher than that at which absolute visual threshold occurs.…”

“…Nocturnal and deep-sea animals with excellent vision. (a) The nocturnal Indian carpenter bee Xylocopa tranquebarica has trichromatic colour vision at night [1]. Photo: Nicolas Vereeken.…”