Which bees possess corbicula?

Which bees possess corbicula?

• A. Carpenter bees and leafcutter bees
• B. Honeybees and bumblebees
• C. Solitary bees only
• D. All bee species

Answer: (B)

Corbicula, or the pollen basket, is a structure on the hind legs of some bees that gathers and carries pollen back to the nest. This adaptation is characteristic of honeybees and many bumblebees, which store pollen in a compact mass between their hind leg segments for efficient transport. Leafcutter bees and other members of Megachilidae carry pollen on the underside of their abdomen using scopae rather than on hind-leg baskets, so they don’t have corbicula. Many solitary bees also don’t have this structure. That’s why honeybees and bumblebees are the best match: they routinely possess corbicula to collect and transport pollen.

Corbicula, or the pollen basket, is a structure on the hind legs of some bees that gathers and carries pollen back to the nest. This adaptation is characteristic of honeybees and many bumblebees, which store pollen in a compact mass between their hind leg segments for efficient transport.

Leafcutter bees and other members of Megachilidae carry pollen on the underside of their abdomen using scopae rather than on hind-leg baskets, so they don’t have corbicula. Many solitary bees also don’t have this structure. That’s why honeybees and bumblebees are the best match: they routinely possess corbicula to collect and transport pollen.