"abbbbbc" =~ /(b)*?(b*?)c/;
print "($1)($2)\n";

##</code><code>##

()(bbbbb)

##</code><code>##

"abbbbbc" =~ /(b)*?(b*?)c/;
print "\$1: $1\n" if defined $1;
print "\$2: $2\n" if defined $2;

Prints:

$2: bbbbb

##</code><code>##

"babbbbbcbbbcx" =~ /(b*?)/;
print ">$1<\n"; # '><' - matched none

"babbbbbcbbbcx" =~ /(b*?)c/;
print ">$1<\n"; # '>bbbbb<' - matched b following a through b preceeding c