Our experience of the external world is created from simple physical cues. Our rich perception of colour, for instance, is based on the output of only 3 photoreceptor types. To study the neuronal basis of colour vision I use bumblebees as animal models. Bumblebees are trichromats like humans and can perceive a wide variety of colours. In bees, individual colour-sensitive neurons can be electrophysiologically characterized while presenting patterns of different colours. Results from the study of neural networks of colour-sensitive neurons in the brain can be related to behavior, thus gaining insights into the mechanisms of colour perception.