Bee Anatomy Definitions

Ref #	Category	Term	Description	Description
1	Main (rear) body part	Abdomen	A bee's abdomen is its rear body section, containing vital organs for digestion (honey stomach), reproduction (spermatheca, ovaries, testes), and defense (stinger), plus glands for wax (wax glands) and scent (Nasonov gland) in workers, all covered in protective segments that allow flexibility and house important functions like nectar storage and even breathing through pulsing.
2	Main body part (respiration)	Spiracles	Bee spiracles are tiny, valve-controlled holes along a bee's thorax and abdomen that serve as its respiratory openings, allowing air (oxygen) to enter and carbon dioxide to exit, connecting to a network of internal tubes (tracheae) that deliver gases directly to the bee's cells, bypassing lungs. Bees have ten pairs of these spiracles, which open and close to regulate airflow, keeping moisture in and preventing debris from entering, with abdominal movements pumping air in and out.
3	Main body part (middle)	Thorax	The thorax is the middle section of a bee's body, and it is the center for locomotion, meaning it's where the six legs and two pairs of wings are attached. This segment contains powerful muscles that drive flight, produce buzzing sounds, and help the bee move. The thorax is also composed of three smaller segments that each have a pair of spiracles (2), which are openings for air.
4	Face	Antennae	Sensory appendages for smell, touch, and navigation.
5	Face	Antennal Sockets	Cavities in which the antennae articulate.
6	Face	Clypeus	Broad facial plate between the frons (8) and labrum (9).	Frons: Central face area between the antennae and ocelli. Labrum: Upper lip assisting food manipulation.
7	Face	Compound Eyes	Large, multi-faceted eyes providing wide-angle vision.
8	Face	Frons	Central face area between the antennae and ocelli.
9	Face	Labrum	Upper lip assisting food manipulation.
10	Face	Mandibles	Jaws used for cutting, carrying, and nest construction.
11	Face	Ocelli	Three simple eyes on top of the head that detect light intensity.
12	Mouthparts	Galea	Sheath-like maxillary element forming part of the tongue.
13	Mouthparts	Labial Palps	Sensory appendages on the labium (14).
14	Mouthparts	Labium	A bee's labium is its "lower lip," a key part of its sucking mouthparts (proboscis (14)) that, along with other structures, forms a tube to drink nectar, acts like a spoon to lap it up, helps clean the bee and hive, and features sensory palps (16) for taste. It's formed from fused ancestral second maxillae and contains the 'tongue' (glossae and paraglossae) and palps for sensory input, allowing bees to taste as they feed.
15	Mouthparts	Maxillae	Lateral mouthparts aiding food manipulation.
16	Mouthparts	Palps	Bee palps (or palpi) are sensory appendages on a bee's mouthparts, with two pairs—maxillary palps (upper) and labial palps (lower)—that help with sensing food, grooming, and manipulating the proboscis (tongue) for nectar feeding. These jointed feelers detect chemicals and textures, aiding in food selection and taste, acting like tiny sensory antennae near the mouth.
17	Mouthparts	Paraglossa	Small lobes flanking the main glossa (19).
18	Mouthparts	Proboscis / Glossa	Elongate tongue used for nectar uptake.
19	Mouthparts	Glossa (tongue)	A bee's glossa (Greek for "tongue") is the central, hairy, tube-like structure within its proboscis, acting like a flexible, hairy spoon to lap up nectar, which then gets sucked up the food canal for storage, forming a complex feeding straw. While people often call the whole thing the proboscis, the glossa is just the inner, hairy part that collects liquid, supported by other mouthparts like labial palpi and galeae to create a watertight tube for efficient feeding, making it a "straw-spoon hybrid"
20	Dorsal	Mesoscutum	Large central dorsal (top) thorax plate.
21	Dorsal	Metanotum	Small plate behind the scutellum (24).	Scutellum: Plate following the mesoscutum.
22	Dorsal	Pronotum	Narrow segment behind the head.
23	Dorsal	Propodeum	First abdominal segment fused to thorax.
24	Dorsal	Scutellum	Plate following the mesoscutum (20).	Mesoscutum: Large central dorsal (top) thorax plate.
25	Dorsal	Tegulae	Small sclerites (26) above wing bases.
26	Dorsal	Sclerite	A sclerite is any of the hardened plates that form the bee's exoskeleton. These rigid, chitinous plates are connected by flexible, soft membranes (arthrodial membranes), which allow the bee to move despite having a hard outer covering.
27	Dorsal	Tergites	Dorsal (upper or back of the bee) abdominal segments.
28	Dorsal	Vertex	Top of the head behind the ocelli (11).	Ocelli: Three simple eyes on top of the head that detect light intensity.
29	Ventral	Corbicula Floor	Surface supporting pollen loads.
30	Ventral	Gena	Lower side portion of the head.
31	Ventral	Mesepisternum	Major thoracic side plate.
32	Ventral	Sternites	Ventral (underside) abdominal segments.
33	Ventral	Ventral Propodeal Plate	Underside of the propodeum (23).	Propodeum: First abdominal segment fused to the thorax.
34	Lateral	Gena	Cheek region behind the eyes.
35	Lateral	Mesepisternum	Large thoracic plate on the side.
36	Lateral	Metepisternum	Rear side plate of thorax.
37	Lateral	Pre-episternal Groove	Groove separating thoracic plates.
38	Lateral	Propodeal Spiracle	Respiratory opening on propodeum (23).	Propodeum: First abdominal segment fused to the thorax.
39	Lateral	Temporal Area	Posterior-lateral head area. P-L: rear and on the side of the head.
40	Leg	Arolia	Adhesive pads for traction.
41	Leg	Corbicula	Pollen basket on hind tibia (47).	Tibia: Segment bearing spines and scopa
42	Leg	Coxa	Basal leg segment attaching to thorax (3).
43	Leg	Femur	Robust upper leg segment.
44	Leg	Scopa	Pollen-collecting hairs.
45	Leg	Tarsal Claws	Terminal claws for gripping.
46	Leg	Tarsus	Multi-segmented foot.
47	Leg	Tibia	Segment bearing spines and scopa (44).	Scopa: Pollen-collecting hairs.
48	Leg	Trochanter	Small segment between coxa (42) and femur (43).	Coxa: Basal leg segment attaching to thorax. Femur: Robust upper leg segment.
49	Wings	Costa	Leading wing edge vein.
50	Wings	Forewing	Larger anterior wing. Anterior: near the front.
51	Wings	Hamuli	Hooks connecting hindwing to forewing. Back and front wings.
52	Wings	Hindwing	Smaller wing attaching via hamuli (51).	Hamuli: Hooks connecting hindwing to forewing. Back and front wings.
53	Wings	Radius/Media/Cubitus	Primary longitudinal veins. (Long.: running lengthwise)
54	Wings	Stigma	Thickened leading-edge area.
55	Wings	Subcosta	Second major vein behind costa (49).	Costa: Leading wing edge vein.
56	Wings	Wing Cells	Enclosed wing areas used in taxonomy.
57	Full Anatomy	Labelled diagrams	https://vtbugeyed.blogspot.com/2024/02/bee-body-parts.html