A study using slow-motion video examines bumblebee mouth and facial movements after tasting different substances. Researchers report that when bumblebees encounter something they prefer, they extend their glossa—an insect tongue-like structure—and make repeated mouth movements that resemble “lip licking.” When they encounter a substance they do not like, the bees shake their heads and wipe or manipulate their mouthparts, behaviours the researchers describe as “disliking”-like. The work is presented as evidence that bees show context-dependent responses that could be interpreted as emotion-like reactions. The study’s findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Multiple outlets highlight that the researchers captured and analyzed these micro-expressions and that the pattern parallels similar “liking” and “disliking” responses previously studied in mammals. The reports note that the study contributes to ongoing scientific debate about whether insects have sentience, while focusing on observable behavioural indicators rather than claims about subjective experience.