Part of ScienceLiving things
In this video, learn about ultraviolet vision and how different animals, like insects and dogs, see.
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Find out how insects and dogs see the world very differently from humans.
Follow me class. We鈥檙e here in the park to learn how animals see. If animals have eyes to let light in, that means they have some form of vision, but that doesn鈥檛 mean all animals鈥 eyes are alike. Take this dragonfly, for example.
Its eyes are actually made up of thousands of tiny different lenses. We call this kind of eye a compound eye, and because all the little lenses point in different directions, animals that have them are very good at detecting movement 鈥 especially of big things like predators who might be trying to eat them.
In fact, it鈥檚 almost impossible to sneak up on a dragonfly without it seeing you. Told you!
Bees also have compound eyes. Now, bees are very good at seeing colours and, just like the dragonfly, can also see ultraviolet.
Ultraviolet is a kind of light that鈥檚 all around us, but which only some animals can see.
When a bee looks at a flower, its ultraviolet vision lets it see patterns on the petals. It鈥檚 kind of like there are arrows pointing to where the food is. Very helpful if you鈥檙e a hungry bee!
Dogs鈥 eyes aren鈥檛 great at seeing colours, but they are good at seeing some ultraviolet.
This means they can see better in the dark 鈥 very useful for hunting, and they can also see the traces of other dogs鈥 wee.
Well, you know what dogs are like鈥 Disgusting animals.
DOG BARKING
Nice doggy! Nice animal!
Find out more by working through a topic
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Why and when do animals migrate?
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