Common Annual Sunflower (Butterfly Vision)

Last week I did some UV photography of the sunflowers my labmate Warren Wong uses in research on the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys). These images combine UV and visible light photos to show the classic UV bullseye known to attract pollinators. This combination of images is inspired by the “butterfly vision” images of Dr. Klaus Schmitt (who in fact supplied our UV camera system). This bullseye pattern is most prominent in newly opened flowers like this one and may be one of the cues the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug used to select the optimum growth stage of host plant for feeding and oviposition