Slo-Mo Footage of a Bumble Bee Dislodging Pollen

Back in West Virginia, the diverse vegetation of the uncultivated areas between farmlands is home to the best-known relative of the honeybee, the bumblebee. Some bumblebee populations are in decline, a tragedy since they are among the few bees capable of buzz pollination. This technique is the only efficient way to pollinate plants like tomatoes, eggplants, and blueberries. The bumblebee grabs the flower by the anthers, decouples its flight muscles from the wings, and uses them to shake the flower violently. The only way to get the blossom to dislodge its pollen, which the bumblebees bring back to their colony.