Jul 07, 2026 19:00:00

Experiments suggest that honeybees may have 'expressions.'

Mammals like

cats and dogs have 'facial expressions' that show a variety of emotions, such as joy and anger. New research suggests that even honeybees, which at first glance don't seem to have facial expressions, may possess them.

Bumblebees' orofacial reactions to tastes provide evidence for affective evaluation | PNAS
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2529114123

Bees 'facial expressions' may be a sign of their inner lives
https://theconversation.com/bees-facial-expressions-may-be-a-sign-of-their-inner-lives-286839

In humans, we can usually tell if someone is enjoying a meal by looking at their facial expressions; they look satisfied when they're eating something delicious, and bitter when they're eating something unpleasant. Similarly, dog and cat owners believe these animals can express emotions, and at least in mammals, facial expressions related to affection and desire have been preserved through the course of evolution.

In a 2009 paper , a research team led by psychologist and neuroscientist Kent Berridge pointed out that newborn babies and baby mice make surprisingly similar facial expressions when given a 'sweet treat' or a 'bitter treat.' Both licked their lips when given a sweet treat, while they opened their mouths wide and showed disgust when given a bitter treat.

Based on meticulous neurobiological and behavioral research, Berridge and his colleagues argued that it is possible to discern likes and dislikes from a mouse's facial expressions. However, it was previously unclear whether insects, with their vastly different brain and body structures, could similarly distinguish facial expressions.

Insects have hard exoskeletons, so you might not think they have any facial expressions. However,

bumblebees , a type of honeybee, have highly mobile mouthparts (organs used for feeding) that they can extend deep into flowers to suck nectar.

In this study, a research team led by Andrew Baron, a professor of natural sciences at Macquarie University in Australia, conducted an experiment to investigate how bumblebees move their mouthparts and bodies when tasting various flavors.

First, when they tried giving a bumblebee a small amount of sugar water using a pipette, the bee quickly extended its mouthparts and drank the sugar water. Even after it finished drinking and the pipette was removed, it continued to extend and retract its mouthparts as if making a clicking sound with its lips.

On the other hand, when bumblebees were given diluted salt water to drink, they shook their heads as if disgusted after drinking the salt water, wiped their mouthparts with their legs, and retreated. You can see how bumblebees actually react when given sugar water or salt water in the video below.

Bees responding to tastes they 'like' and 'dislike' - YouTube


A bumblebee drinking sugar water from a pipette.

Even after the pipette has been removed, the insect leans forward and extends its mouthpiece.

Next, we see a bumblebee drinking saltwater.

It recoils as if disgusted, and makes a gesture as if wiping its mouthparts with its legs.

To investigate whether these reactions were simply due to differences in the chemical properties of sugar and salt, the research team conducted experiments by briefly heating bumblebees to 40°C to induce a dehydrated state similar to that experienced on a hot day.

When dehydrated bumblebees were given diluted salt water, instead of shaking their heads and retreating, they extended their mouthparts as if they had drunk sugar water. This result suggests that the mouthpart response is not simply due to the chemical properties of sugar or salt, but is influenced by the physiological state of the bumblebee. Baron says, 'It's a bit like oral rehydration solution. Normally, they can barely drink it, but when they're dehydrated after a long run, it tastes remarkably good.'

The research team also conducted experiments with bumblebees given the neurotransmitters octopamine and dopamine , and bumblebees given a different neurotransmitter , endocannabinoid . They found differences in the mouthpart responses to sugar water, suggesting that neurochemical changes in the bumblebees influence the response.

Baron stated, 'Taking these experimental results together, we have shown that the mouthpart responses are subjective and related to the physiological state of the bees, and not a response to different chemicals. This evidence suggests that the likes and dislikes that bees exhibit are similar to those of humans and other mammals. Our research is not conclusive evidence that bees have feelings like like or dislike. However, it joins a series of studies that suggest insects have some kind of inner world and are more than just reflex machines.'