What resource is the male *A. manicatum* diet almost entirely restricted to due to reproductive duties?

Nectar

The dietary division between the sexes of *Anthidium manicatum* is clearly defined by their reproductive roles. Male Wool Carder Bees are not responsible for provisioning nests or feeding larvae, as they do not engage in parental care beyond the act of mating. Consequently, their nutritional intake is almost entirely derived from nectar. This sugary liquid provides the rapid and substantial energy reserves necessary to fuel their primary activities, which include extensive foraging flights, patrolling territories near flower patches or potential nesting sites, and engaging in courtship flights with rival males. Pollen, being the critical source of protein needed for larval development, is largely ignored by the males because they do not feed the next generation.