Blog Post Image: An efficient nectar mop: Bats use blood to reshape tongue for feeding

A natural nectar mop. Hovering at a flower demands enormous energy. Blood flow in their tongue tips allows bats to extend hair-like papillae instantly, increasing the tongue’s length and surface area and thus the amount of nectar lapped up in a single stroke. Image credit: Cally Harper in the Brainerd-Swartz Lab/Brown University