According to field observation tips, what observation indicates a bee is likely a male or a female cuckoo?
Answer
Absence of visible pollen loads packed onto the hind legs
A primary field mark for distinguishing a parasitic female (*B. fernaldii* queen) from a solitary-nesting female bee is the lack of specialized structures designed for collecting and carrying pollen. If an observer checks a potential specimen and finds no visible pollen loads packed onto the hind legs, this strongly suggests the bee is either a male or a female cuckoo, as neither sex needs to provision a nest and therefore lacks the corbiculae.
Related Questions
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