Are Bees Attracted to Certain Colors?

Bees are one of the main reasons that so many flowers are brightly colored. This is because they are attracted to the brighter colored flowers. As a result, these are the flowers that often get pollinated. Some colors have more influence on bees than others. Bees also see in a slightly different spectrum than humans. They are able to see into the ultraviolet part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we humans are not able to see. As a result of this type of vision, bees are also unable to see the color red, and are very attracted to the colors yellow and blue. The color black is a warning sign for them to stay away, this “warning” most likely evolved from the fact that many of their predators such as bears, etc. are a darker color. Seeing the color black for a bee is kind of its heads up to not enter.

It should be mentioned that the color of clothing that one wears will not directly influence an individual’s chances of getting stung by a bee per se, although you might find that more bees will be attracted to come into the area. The bright colors will not make bees sting any more than if they are around colors that are not bright. One of the main reasons people often get stung is because when a stinging insect comes into their vicinity they get scared and often act silly and do things that they shouldn’t which threaten the bee causing it to sting. If a person remains still and doesn’t agitate the bee, they will have better chances of not getting stung and the bee will most likely determine very quickly that there is no nectar to be found there and move along.