The pollen basket or corbicula (plural corbiculae) is part of the tibia on the hind legs of the female of certain species of bees. They use the structure in harvesting pollen and carrying it to the nest or hive where it is used as food by the colony.

Aug 20, 2019 · There are also special structures on legs to help bee get more pollen. One is called the pollen basket (corbicula), located on the tibia of the hind leg, which is used for carrying pollen or propolis for foragers.

Nov 27, 2017 · These "pollen pellets," which also include nectar and can account for 30% of a bee's weight, hang off their hind legs like overstuffed saddlebags (pictured). Now, researchers have investigated just how securely bees carry their precious cargo.

Jul 31, 2010 · Just like us, the bee’s legs have a tibia, which is the lower leg (think of your calf). On bumble bees the tibia is flat, somewhat convex, shiny and surrounded by hairs, some of which are rather long and stiff. This forms what is called the pollen basket.

Aug 11, 2023 · Bees with pollen on their legs can be easily recognized by certain physical characteristics. One noticeable feature is the presence of pollen baskets, also known as corbiculae, on their hind legs. These baskets are concave structures surrounded by hairs that allow bees to collect and carry pollen.

Jun 30, 2015 · When a bee bends her leg, the plates pull apart and she stuffs the opening with pollen that she collects from her body. First, she uses all six legs to scrape the pollen into one place: the inside of the hindleg basitarsus.

Apr 11, 2019 · When you see bees flitting about your garden, you might notice that some of them have orange or yellow clumps along their hind legs. Resembling tiny saddlebags, these bright spots of cargo are...

Honey bees collect pollen using structures on their hind legs, which are delightfully termed 'pollen baskets'. Take a closer look here!

Workers and queens have two pollen baskets, one each on the outside surface of each hind leg. The pollen basket is easy to spot; when it is empty it is a large, flat shiny area with spiky hairs around the edge, and when it is full it contains pollen which is often yellow, orange or red.

Apr 10, 2024 · Bees have six legs, and it’s on the back pair where you’ll find the pollen baskets. These ‘baskets’, lined with hairs, secure the pollen grains to the leg. This makes it easier for the bees to fly without losing the pollen in the air. A single pollen pellet may weigh just 8 mg.