InsectsAttractiontoFlowersDuetoUltravioletLightandPatterns

Abstract
Ourmotivationforthisprojectwasourinterestinflowersandbugs.Lately,theflowers
havebeenbloomingandtheinsectshaveslowlystartedtocomeout,whichmeansitsthe
beginningofspring.Webothreallylovelookingoutsideandseeingtheinsectsontheflowers,
butweveneverknowwhytheyaresoattractedtothem.Thiscuriositydrivenourexperimentto
testifinsectsareattractedtoflowersbecauseofthesmell,color,orUltravioletpatterns.We
weresofascinatedthatwewantedtoknowthereasoningbehindwhyinsectswereattractedto
certainflowers.Wecreatedthequestiontotest,Whatrolesdoescolor(red,violet,and
Ultraviolet)playinattractinginsectstoflowers?Wethenresearchedwhysomeinsectswere
attractedtoflowersandfoundthattheflowerswithstrongerUltravioletpatternsdrawtheinsects
deepintotheflower,thiswasshowntrueinourresults.Overall,thisexperimentansweredour
curiosityofwhyinsectsareattractedtocertainflowerandifithastodowithcolor,smell,and
Ultravioletpatterns.

Introduction
Thepurposeofthisexperimentistoseeifinsectsareattractedtotheflowersbecauseof
thescent,color,orUVpatterns.Duringthespringtimeyouseetheflowersbloomingandmore
andmoreinsectscomingout.Theyflyfromflowertoflowertopollinate,buthaveyouever
wonderedwhytheyareattractedtocertainflowers.Inthearticle
Whatcolorsdoanimalssee
it
states,
Therangeofvisionforthebeeandbutterflyextendsintotheultraviolet.Thepetalsof
theflowerstheypollinatehavespecialultravioletpatternstoguidetheinsectsdeepintothe
flower.ThemoretheUltravioletpatternintheflowerthemoretheinsectsareattractedtothe
flower.
Inthearticle
InsectsColorVision
itstated,
Amongcompoundeyeinsects,though,the
majorityarebichromatic.Thismeanstheyhavejusttwotypesofcolorpigmentreceptors,and,asa
result,theyarenotsogoodatdistinguishingpurecolorsfrommixturesofcolors.Theircolor
spectrumislimited.Solikehumansinsectseyevisionislimited,butjustinadifferentspectrum.
Manyinsectscanseeahigherfrequencyoflightthatisinvisibletohumans,redisthelowest
frequencyofcolorweseebuttoinsectsredisinvisible.Adultinsectshavecompoundeyeswhich
areequippedtodistinguishcolors.Thisisshowninfigure1.

Figure1


QuestionandHypothesis:
Whatrolesdoescolor(red,violet,andUltraviolet)playinattractinginsectstoflowers?
Ifthecoloroftheflowersaffectstheattractionnumberofinsectslandingonaflowerthenthe
flowerwithmoreUltravioletpatternswillattractmoreinsectsbecauseInsectshavetheabilityto
seeUltravioletlightandtheirvisionofcolorsisshiftedcomparedtoours.

Methods&Materials
Totestourhypothesiswestartedoffbychoosingflowersbytheircolorandscent.We
choosetheflowersbytheircolorandscentbecausewewantedtomakesureweincludedallof
thevariablesandthatwewerentjustthinkingabouttheattractiontoultravioletlight,thatitcould
alsobetheresmellandcolor.Wechoseeightdifferenttypesofflowers,lightblue(Figure2),
lightpurple(Figure3),darkpurple(Figure4),orangeandwhite(Figure5),yellow(Figure6),blue
(Figure7),red/yellowtulips(Figure8),andredtulips(Figure9).Oncewehadchosenthe
flowerswesatoutsideandobservedeachflowerforatleast15minutesandcountedhowmany
bugslandedoneachflower,werepeatedthisforfourdaystogetmoredatatohelpour
experiment.Whenthecountwasoverwewentbacktotheflowersthatwehadcountedthe
bugsonandputtheultravioletlightoverthemtoanalyzetheultravioletpatterns.Wetookthe
datawecollectedandputitintoaspreadsheetandgraphstoanalyzeandseeifourhypothesis
wascorrect.
Inordertoaccomplishourexperimentweneededtouseandfinddifferentmaterials.We
hadtofinddifferentcoloredandsmellingflowers.Wethenusedatimertokeeptrackofhow
longwewereoutsideobservinghowmanyinsectslandedontheflowers.Whenweweredone
findingthecountofthebugswethenwentbackandtookpicturesoftheflowerswithacamera,
sowewouldhaveabeforeimageandanafterimageofwhenweusedtheUltravioletlight(it
wouldbehelpfultohaveUltravioletlight)

Results
Weobservedfromthisexperimentthatthesmalllightblueanddarkpurpleflowersattracted
moreinsects.Throughthefourdaysofobservingthedifferentflowerswefoundthat10insects
landedonthesmalllightblueanddarkpurpleflowers.Mostoftheinsectsweredifferenttypes
offlies.WhileasforthedifferenttypesoftulipsandDarkbluebellflowershadzeroamountsof
insects.Theotherfourtypesofflowerswereinbetweenzeroandten.Oncewehaddonethe
bugcountwewentbackoutandtooktheUltravioletlightovertheflowers.Wefoundtherewas
moreUltravioletpatternsonthelightblueflower,darkpurpleflower,smalllightpurpleflower,
smalldarkbluebellflowers,andtulips.ThemostUltravioletpatternwasshownonthesmall
lightblueandthesmalldarkpurple.

TheseimagesshowtheflowerwithouttheUVlightandwiththelightduringthedayandthenat
night.

LightBlueFlower

Figure2

PurpleFlower

Figure3

DarkPurple

Figure4

Orange/WhiteFlower

Figure5

YellowFlower

Figure6

Blue

Figure7

RedTulip

Figure8

Yellow/RedTulip

Figure9

Discussion
Thepurposeofthisexperimentwastobetterunderstandwhyinsectsareattractedtoflowers
andifUltravioletisakeyimpactonhowmanyinsectslandontheflowers.Ourhypothesis
statedthattheflowerwithmoreultravioletpatternsincreaseshowmanyinsectsareattractedto
thatflower.Thisprovedtoberightinourresults.WefoundthattheflowerwithmoreUltraviolet
patternshadmoreinsectsthatwouldlandonthemandthattheinsectsweremoreattractedto
theflowerswithmoreUltravioletlight.Theflowersthathadmoreinsects,suchasthesmalllight
blueandthesmalldarkpurplehadmoreUltravioletlight.Whilehastheotherflowersdidnthave
alotofUltravioletpatternsandsonotasmanyinsectslandedonthem.Duringthisexperiment
wealsohadtokeepinmindthatcolorandsmellhasahugeimpactonweatherornotinsects
areattractedtoflowers.WiththeOrangeandWhiteflowerstheyhadaverystrongsmelland
attractedalotofflowers,buthadnoUltravioletpattern.Thisshowsaflawinourexperimentthat
itmaynotjustbetheultravioletlightthatattractsthemtocertainflowers.Wedofeelthoughthat
ourresultssupportourhypothesisandhelpmakingourhypothesistrue.

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