Left or right? Moths use a preferred side to inspect flowers for nectar

Left or right? Moths use a preferred side to inspect flowers for nectar

Just as humans exhibit right- or left-handedness, moths also have a preferred side on which they place their proboscis when inspecting a flower for nectar. This observation was made by Konstanz-based biologists in their latest study. The researchers see this as an example of nature efficiently coping with the limited computational capacity of the insect brain.

Moths Pair Dominant Eyes with Proboscis to Save Brain Power

Hummingbird hawkmoths (Macroglossum stellatarum) exhibit an innate "handedness" when extending their proboscis to forage on flowers.