Page 98 - The Miracle of the Honeybee
P. 98
Solar rays
Solar rays
The Sun
Bees use ultraviolet rays to find their way in cloudy weath-
er. These light rays can penetrate the cloud cover so long
as it is not too thick. The bees follow these rays emitted by
the Sun and are able to calculate where the Sun must be at
that moment.
How Do Bees Find Their Way in Cloudy Weather?
As bees fly towards their food source, they observe the Sun. This is es-
sential if the scout bees are to make use of the angle and direction indicat-
ed in the dance.
Yet bees are not limited to this remarkable achievement, and engage in
activities even more extraordinary. Even if the weather is cloudy, they can
use the Sun by means of its ultraviolet rays, which are able to pass through
cloud cover as long as it is not too thick. The worker bees use these rays to
establish the location of the Sun. The natural light from the Sun is polar-
ized, in other words, the direction of vibrations of the light waves changes
regularly as the Sun moves in the sky. This polarization cannot be seen by
the human eye, although bees and many other living things can perceive
it. Cloudy weather that makes the Sun invisible represents no obstacle to
these creatures. Despite the clouds, bees think of the sky as being parceled
81
up, and calculate where the Sun should be at a given moment. No doubt,
this attribute is one of the examples of God’s superior creation that enables
bees to survive.
