We observe everything around us with our eyes, experiencing the thousands of beautiful colors of life. But do the objects seen by humans look the same as those seen by animals?
![]() |
Honeybees seek plant nectar from flowers of various colors and shapes (Photo: alanbauer) |
Humans observe the behavior of animals and study the anatomy of their eyes to understand their visual capabilities through the structure of their eyes.
Among insects, honeybees can distinguish different colors and shapes. Scientists have conducted experiments where they placed flowers of varying colors and shapes, some containing nectar and some without. Over time, honeybees continued to visit the flowers even if they were nectarless, showcasing their ability to locate food sources. Honeybees search for nectar among flowers of diverse colors and shapes, can navigate back to their hive, and perform a dance to communicate to their mates where they have found nectar, as well as where to choose pollen and nectar. Thus, honeybees possess a remarkable ability to differentiate between various colors and shapes.
In terms of eye structure, higher animals such as monkeys, deer, orangutans, and chimpanzees possess complex eyes with corneas, sclerae, irises, pupils, lenses, and retinas that are very similar to human eyes. Therefore, higher animals may perceive their surroundings in a manner similar to humans.