Book 11, Question 88
Why Do Frogs Use Sticky Tongues?
Frogs use sticky tongues because they are the perfect bug catchers! A frog's tongue is soft, quick, and covered in sticky saliva. It flips out, grabs the insect, and is back in a flash.
More fun facts
- A frog's tongue is soft and squishy, and its saliva is special.
- When the tongue hits a bug, the force turns the saliva into a thin liquid that oozes around the prey.
- As the tongue pulls back, the saliva thickens and holds on tight.
- A frog's sticky tongue can lift nearly twice its own weight.
- Scientists filmed frogs and toads with high speed cameras to study their tongues.
- One scientist scraped about 15 frog tongues to collect a fifth of a teaspoon of spit.
Sources: Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, Science News Explores
Questions kids ask
What started the study of frog tongues?
A funny video of an African bullfrog lunging at fake bugs in a phone game.