Fig. 22.
| t—Tibia. b—Rim of hairs. p—Pollen basket. | t s—Joint of tarsi, c—Claws. |
On the outside of the posterior tibia and basal tarsus is a cavity, made more deep by its rim of hairs, known as the pollen basket ([Fig, 22, p]). In these pollen baskets is compacted the pollen, which is gathered by the mouth organs, and carried back by the four anterior legs. Opposite the pollen baskets are regular rows of golden hairs ([Fig. 23, e]), which probably aid in storing and compacting the pollen balls.
On the anterior legs of the workers, between the femur and tibia, is a curious notch ([Fig. 24, C]), covered by a spur ([Fig. 24, B]). For several years this has caused speculation among my students, and has attracted the attention of observing apiarists. Some have supposed that it aided bees in reaching deeper down into tubular flowers, others that it was used in scraping off pollen, and still others that it enabled bees to hold on when clustering. The first two functions may belong to this, though other honey and pollen-gathering bees do not possess it. The latter function is performed by the claws at the end of the tarsi.
Fig. 23.
| e—Rows of hairs. t—Tibia. c—Claws. |
Fig. 24.
