Close-up of common comfrey flowers (Symphytum officinale) with holes made by a bumblebee nectar robbing, UK. Insect foraging behaviour signs

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Nectar robbing happens when a short-tongued bee, such as white-tailed bumblebees, want to get the nectar from a flower with a long corolla. Their tongue is too short, but they have strong mandibles so they can instead bite a hole in the base of the flower. This means they can then reach the nectaries with their short tongue. The downside to this is that the flowers aren’t pollinated in this process.

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Size: 4543px × 3029px
Location: Guildford, Surrey, England, UK
Photo credit: © Gillian Pullinger / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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