Did You Know Bees Have FIVE Eyes?
At SHoney Farm in Wamego, we love sharing the incredible facts behind the tiny creatures who make our honey possible. This week’s buzz-worthy discovery? Honeybees have five eyes!
👀 A Closer Look at Bee Vision
That’s right—bees are equipped with a sophisticated visual system made up of:
Two large compound eyes: These are located on the sides of their heads and are made up of thousands of tiny lenses called ommatidia. These compound eyes help bees detect:
Movement
Patterns
Colors (especially blue, purple, and UV light)
Floral shapes and markings that humans can’t even see!
Three small simple eyes, called ocelli, are arranged in a triangle on top of the bee’s head. These eyes detect:
Light intensity
Sun position
Orientation during flight
Together, these five eyes help bees safely navigate the skies, locate flowers with precision, and return home to their hive—even on cloudy days!
🌻 How This Helps at SHoney Farm
Here in the Flint Hills of Kansas, our bees forage across diverse native landscapes filled with wildflowers and flowering crops. Their five-eyed vision gives them the ability to:
Identify the most nectar-rich flowers
Avoid obstacles while flying at high speeds
Return home with pinpoint accuracy—no GPS required!
This extraordinary vision leads to stronger, healthier hives—and more delicious honey for your table. 🍯
💛 A Sweet Reminder
At SHoney Farm, every jar of honey tells a story of teamwork, pollination, and nature’s brilliant design. The next time you drizzle honey on your toast or stir it into tea, remember—it was made by a bee who saw the world in ultraviolet and danced its way home using the sun as its guide.