Scientists have captured miniature facial expressions on slow-motion video of bumblebees when presented with droplets of different solutions: water with sugar, salt, plain water, and quinine. When the bees taste something good, they reach out their glossa – or tongue – for a moment, almost as if they are licking their lips. When they don’t like something, they shake their heads and wipe their mouths.
Study Published in PNAS
The results have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research provides new insights into invertebrate behaviour and raises questions about the inner lives of insects.
Implications for Animal Cognition
According to the study, these subtle movements suggest that bumblebees may experience affective states similar to liking or disliking. This challenges traditional views that such expressions are limited to vertebrates.
