Hairy tongues make it easier to feed on nectar Jonathan Lewis/Getty
Bumblebees can sup on thick nectar just as easily as they slurp up thin nectar – and now we know why. It’s all down to the tiny hairs on their tongues.
Evolution has created some strange and surprising tools to help animals drink liquid. A close look at a bee’s tongue reveals a long rod-like stalk that is covered in thin hair-like protrusions. This makes it look a little like a tiny mop.
When bees are feeding, they quickly dip their tongue in and out of a flower…
