The Pollen Basket

The Pollen Basket. 🐝🧺

A remarkable fact about the anatomy of honeybees is the presence of specialized structures that enable them to collect and carry pollen efficiently.

Honeybees have a structure called a “corbicula” or “pollen basket” on their hind legs. This concave, basket-like structure is formed by stiff hairs on the legs.

When a honeybee visits a flower, it collects pollen grains and mixes them with nectar or saliva to form “bee bread.”

The bee then packs this mixture into the corbicula, essentially creating a portable storage unit for pollen.

The corbicula is a crucial adaptation that allows honeybees to transport large quantities of pollen back to the hive for food.