Which three colors are most attractive to bees?

• A. Purple, red, yellow
• B. Blue, green, yellow
• C. Purple, red, violet
• D. Purple, violet, and blue

Answer: (D)

Bees perceive color in a way that emphasizes blue and ultraviolet light, with good sensitivity to blue and violet hues and less to red. Because of this, flowers that reflect blue to violet wavelengths stand out clearly against green foliage, making them easy for bees to spot while foraging. The trio of purple, violet, and blue falls squarely into that bee-visible range, so these colors are particularly attractive to bees. Red flowers, lacking in bee visibility, and colors that are less conspicuous to bees are not as appealing. While yellow flowers can attract bees, the blue-violet-purple set best matches how bees detect and discriminate colors in their environment.