Comment on "Floral iridescence, produced by diffractive optics, acts as a cue for animal pollinators".
Whitney et al. (Reports, 2 January 2009, p. 130) investigated the mechanism of iridescence in hibiscus and tulip flowers and suggested that bumblebees are able to use this iridescence as a pollination cue. However, their study failed to isolate iridescence from other coincident visual cues, leaving open questions regarding the importance of iridescent stimuli in foraging-based associative learning in bumblebees.
Morehouse
Nathan I
NI
School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA. nmorehouse@asu.edu
Rutowski
Ronald L
RL
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D003116:Color; D003118:Color Perception; D003463:Cues; D035264:Flowers; D031584:Hibiscus; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D010858:Pigmentation; D054817:Pollination; D012107:Research Design; D031447:Tulipa