Bees see world 5 times faster than humans

Bees see the world almost five times faster than humans, says new research.

This gives bumblebees the fastest colour vision of all animals, allowing them to easily navigate shady bushes to find food, says Peter Skorupski and Lars Chittka from the University of London.

The ability to see at high speed is common in fast-flying insects; allowing them to escape predators and catch their mates mid-air.

However, until now it wasn't known whether the bees' full colour vision was able to keep up with their high speed flight. This research sheds new light on the matter; suggesting that although slower, it is also about twice as fast as human vision.

Skorupski says: "We can't easily follow a fast flying insect by eye, but they can follow each other, thanks to their very fast vision."

"How fast you can see depends on how quickly the light-detecting cells in your eye can capture snapshots of the world and send them to you brain. Most flying insects can see much quicker than humans, for example so they can avoid getting swatted!" said Skorupski.

Bumblebees use their advanced colour vision in many ways. Skorupski explains: "Bees were the first animals that scientists proved to have colour vision, and they have since been shown to put it to good use; navigating dappled light and shady areas, recognising shapes like their hive entrance, and particularly for finding nectar-bearing coloured flowers." ...

via Bees see world 5 times faster than humans.

What would it be like if we could upgrade our eyes to the speed of bees?