What specific anatomical structure do female Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebees lack that social bees use to collect pollen?
Answer
Corbiculae
The corbiculae, often referred to as pollen baskets, are specialized structures located on the hind legs of social bees used for transporting pollen back to the colony. Because the Vestal Cuckoo Bumblebee is a brood parasite that relies entirely on host colonies, it does not forage for pollen. Consequently, this species has evolutionarily lost these structures. Instead of having pollen-carrying surfaces, the hind legs of female Vestal Cuckoos are densely covered in hair.
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