The Pollen Basket

Honey bees’ hind legs are specially adapted for carrying pollen. They have a structure called the corbicula (pollen basket), where pollen is carefully packed into a ball. To help with this, bees mix the pollen with a small amount of nectar from their honey crop, making it sticky enough to stay in place. They then press the pollen onto a spiky area of the leg to secure it for transport back to the hive.
They also carry propolis on their back legs, but it’s so sticky they need other bees to unload that.

Bees also use their front legs for grooming, cleaning their face, eyes, and body, and collecting any loose pollen that may have fallen onto them.

When foraging, bees typically show floral constancy, meaning they prefer to collect pollen and nectar from the same species of plant during a single trip. This behaviour is highly beneficial for plants, as it ensures effective pollination. As bees move from flower to flower, they transfer pollen between plants of the same species, increasing the likelihood of successful fertilization and seed production.

This is particularly valuable for farmers and gardeners. Good pollination by bees leads to higher crop yields.

The colour of pollen varies depending on the plant species. While many pollens are bright yellow, they can also be orange, red, white, or even blue. Beekeepers sometimes use pollen colour to identify the plants their bees are visiting, but for precise identification, microscopic analysis can be carried out.

Diane Drinkwater, March