Flower-Powered Migratory Species Flowers That Fuel Migration Cool Observations From Scientists The monarch's ultraviolet powers! Many flowers have light patterns in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. Monarchs and other insects can see these, but humans and birds cannot. How an evening primrose looks to a human or bird. How an evening primrose looks to a monarch. If you were an insect, how could you tell where the nectar is hidden? Photos: Windows to the Universe Why hummingbirds seem to prefer red (two theories): During migration, red blossoms contrast very well with a green environment; hummers have a good sense of sight. Insects such as monarchs see poorly in the red end of the spectrum. That means they're more likely to pass up red blossoms. This leaves more nectar for the hummers (and they learn this quickly)! Can you come up with another theory? How would you test it? Student Study: What types of flowers do monarchs prefer? A group of students in Texas set up a study that explored what types of flowers monarchs prefer. Here are two of their findings: Monarchs preferred orange butterfly weed flowers to the yellow, red, and blue flowers of other plants in the study. They ALSO discovered that the monarchs chose native flowers more often than they chose non-native flowers. Think! How would you explain these findings? (Why do you think monarchs make these choices?) How would you go about setting up a study like this? Search Journey North Copyright 1997-2012 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Contact us.