Blue is one of the rarest colours for plants (less than one in ten are blue) and even rarer for animals. But of course blue is everywhere in our skies and oceans.
The blue-footed booby has blue feet! And what’s even better is that he shows them off to get a mate. Whoever has the most blue feet, gets the girl!
Not just one uniform shade, blue can be anything from light blue to navy. Sky looks blue due to sunlight entering the earth’s atmosphere, and tiny gas molecules scatter light in all directions (blue light has shorter wavelength so gets scattered as ‘Rayleigh’ scattering, which is why the sky appears blue in daylight). At sunrise the blue disappears, which is why sunrise and sunset are red or orange hues.
Oceans have different blues, it can depend on weather, the colour even of seaweed underneath. Water absorbs red and orange colours, so blue is more visible to us (especially if there are minerals or algae in the water). Deep oceans tend to be darker, with shallow waters more turquoise.
Which Flowers are Blue?
Vivid blue flowers attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators (although the only flowers with blue leaves are found in rainforests).
Some blue flowers include cornflowers, bluebells and delphiniums (all these flowers are toxic to pets, so keep them away). Hydrangeas are blue, due to aluminium in acidic soils.
Some plants have blue-tinted leaves, an adaptation to specific environments. These hues may help reflect harsh sunlight or reduce water loss in arid regions. The Marram grass on coastal dunes is a prime example, where its blue-green leaves survive harsh seaside conditions by minimising moisture evaporation.
Blue fruits and vegetables don’t really exist, as the anthocyanin compound with health benefits in blueberries and blackberries is actually purple.
Beautiful Blue Creatures
In animals, the secret to blue often lies not in pigment but in structure. Take the vibrant blues of the peacock’s tail or the shimmering wings of a butterfly. Male peacocks also have some blue feathers, which they rattle about to show off! Tufted titmouse birds also have blue feet.
These hues come from microscopic structures that scatter light, much like prisms. This phenomenon, known as structural colouration, creates an optical illusion of blue, demonstrating how light manipulation can bring about such mesmerising effects.
Many butterflies are blue. Blue on the colour spectrum works differently, so apparently if the scales on a blue morpho butterfly were of a different shape, they would be a different colour! Obrina olivewing butterflies are one of the few creatures on earth, with true blue pigment.
Jays (rare protected crows) are brown with beautiful blue patches and ‘black moustaches’. Mostly found in woodland, you are more likely to hear these noisy chatterboxes in the park, giving out loud screeches as they search for acorns, fruits, beetles and caterpillars. They will be hiding under their ‘black moustaches’ as they fly between trees.
Other birds like parrots and budgies can also have blue feathers. In the wild, they live in large groups, which is why it’s not nice to just have them live in cages all day. Far better to live in aviaries, if they are not living in the wild.
The oceans host blue marvels, with creatures like the Blue Tang fish and vivid corals being perfect examples. In these marine settings, blue hues can deter predators or communicate with others of the same species. Some fish even use blue to blend into the surrounding water, hiding from both predators and prey. Blue whales are actually more grey than blue.
Fun Facts about the Colour Blue
- Blue is officially the world’s favourite colour. Not just for skies, but also blue doors in Morocco which are stunning. The city of Chefchaouen is actually known as the blue city, as all the houses and shops are painted different shades of blue.
- Blue is known to be calming, helping to regulate and slow down your heartbeat.
- Only 8% of the world’s population has blue eyes. They are more sensitive to light than brown eyes. Most Caucasian babies are born with blue eyes, but most eventually turn brown. Blue eyes aren’t actually blue, they just lack the melanin pigment that makes them look brown.
