Photomicrograph showing the mouthparts of a honeybee. The mouth of a honeybee has components that enable it to grip, chew and suck. The long central hairy tongue, or proboscis, allows the bee to suck and lap up nectar and honey. All the mouth projections are covered with tiny hairs to assist in this function. Either side of the proboscis is a pair of mandibles for grasping and cutting. They are used to break open anthers to eat pollen, cut and shape wax

Photograph: Spike Walker/Wellcome Images