What physical marking identifies the Bombus vestalis queen compared to the Bombus terrestris queen?
Answer
The white patch is confined almost exclusively to the very tip of the tail
While both queens appear similar with black bodies and white tails, the morphological difference is found in the extent of the white coloration. The parasitic queen exhibits a very precise, short patch of white at the absolute tip of the abdomen, whereas the host queen, Bombus terrestris, possesses white coloring that extends significantly further up the abdomen, covering multiple segments.
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