Flies view humans with a mosaic-like, fast-motion perception that prioritizes movement detection and offers a wider color spectrum than human vision.
Flies possess compound eyes, quite different from the simple eyes of humans. These compound eyes significantly influence how they perceive the world, including humans. Here's a breakdown of how flies likely view us:
Key Aspects of Fly Vision:
-
Compound Eyes: Flies don't see a single, clear image like we do. Instead, their eyes are composed of thousands of individual light receptors called ommatidia. Each ommatidium contributes a small piece to the overall picture, creating a mosaic-like view.
-
Movement Detection: The mosaic vision is excellent at detecting even the slightest movements. This is crucial for their survival, allowing them to quickly react to predators and find food. Therefore, flies likely perceive humans as constantly moving, even when we are relatively still, due to our subtle movements.
-
High Temporal Resolution: Flies have a much higher temporal resolution than humans. This means they can process visual information much faster, allowing them to see in what appears to us as "slow motion." They can perceive rapid flickers that we would see as a continuous light. To a fly, a human's movements probably appear less fluid and more staccato-like.
-
Wider Field of View: Their compound eyes provide nearly 360-degree vision, allowing them to see almost all around them simultaneously.
-
Color Perception: Flies can see ultraviolet light, a spectrum of light invisible to humans. This likely alters their perception of colors on human skin and clothing. They see a wider range of colors than we do.
-
Polarized Light Detection: As the reference states, fly compound eyes can detect polarized light. This enhances contrast and allows them to navigate more effectively, even on cloudy days.
Summary
In essence, flies view humans as constantly moving, mosaic-like figures with a wider range of colors and from almost every direction. Their vision is optimized for detecting movement and reacting quickly, rather than seeing a detailed, static image.
