Biology Forums - Study Force

I've been working on a project for a while and i need help. Basically i need to know if we can make a pattern that only bugs like flys can see but humans can't

You mean like bugs following a trail of pheromones that humans can't detect, but insects can?

Is this for a school project? If so, mind uploading the protocol so I have a better understanding of the criteria

Thanks

Hello yeah it's for a school project. It was about flies getting confused over lined patterns like zebra's have lines so they get bitten by flies less it confuses them and stops them from slowing down and helps them fly away. I thought about doing this on the sides of houses but as you would guess lines on houses wouldn't look too great i was wondering if we could make stripes that only flies can see but humans can't it sounds really surreal but i wanted to ask just to give it a try

That's an interesting idea. Insects perceive wavelengths of from 650 to 300 nanometers, including the ultraviolet range of the spectrum. What this means is that most insects don't see well in the yellow, orange and red portion of the spectrum, but see ultraviolet very well. The human retina is sensitive to the ultraviolet spectrum down to about 300 nanometers, but the lens of the eye filters it out.

Normal color vision ranges from wavelengths of around 380 nanometers (violet) to 750 nanometers (red). Most people can’t easily see light shorter than 380 nanometers because the lens of the eye absorbs it. If the lens is missing or removed, often due to cataracts, light below the violet range isn’t blocked and can be detected down to around 310 nanometers. Without the lens to focus light, these people are far-sighted and need corrective lenses to focus at short distances.

Therefore, between 380 and 300, insects can see things that we can't.

Hey yeah i get that but how would i do that? is there  a way i can paint something lower than 380 nanometers?

I believe they sell black light paint that is only visible under UV light.