Posts Tagged: proboscis

This 'B' Gets an 'A' for Good Grooming

This "B" gets an "A" for good grooming. We recently watched a honey bee land on the edge of a planter. "Hmm," we thought. "Why is she landing there? She should be foraging on the flowers in the pollinator garden." We soon found out. After positioning...

A honey bee lands on the edge of a planter and proceeds to clean her tongue (proboscis). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee lands on the edge of a planter and proceeds to clean her tongue (proboscis). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee removing the particles from her tongue so she can keep foraging. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee removing the particles from her tongue so she can keep foraging. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Am I good to go? The honey bee finishes cleaning her tongue and stares at the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Am I good to go? The honey bee finishes cleaning her tongue and stares at the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Tongue in Cheek

Have you ever looked closely at a fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus) and seen its proboscis, aka tongue or feeding tube?If you stay still and don't shadow it while it's nectaring, you'll see the proboscis darting in an out of a blossom.The late afternoon...

Proboscis or tongue of a fiery skipper dipped in nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Proboscis or tongue of a fiery skipper dipped in nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Colorful fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Colorful fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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