Bumblebee nectar robbing from common comfrey flowers (Symphytum officinale), UK.
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.
Size: 4036px × 2691px
Location: Guildford, Surrey, England, UK
Photo credit: © Gillian Pullinger / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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