vayda on Nostr: 🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨 The vulture bee, from the Trigona genus, appears ...
🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨
The vulture bee, from the Trigona genus, appears reddish-brown in color and ranges from 8-22mm in size. Unlike other bees vulture bees do not collect pollen, intentionally pollinate other plants nor feed on plant nectar, instead they prefer to feast on carrion or dead animal proteins. Vulture bees are the only bees in the world known to have evolved in order to maintain a diet not produced by plants.
When feeding, vulture bees typically enter the carcass through the eyes, from there they’ll use their mandibles to effectively breakdown the flesh. In order to feed effectively, vulture bees have evolved to have five large, pointed teeth, which also supports their painful biting and aggressive reputation.
Instead of the sweet nectar honey most bees produce, vulture bees create their own unique honey from the protein-rich secretions of their hypopharyngeal glands derived from their diet.
The vulture bee, from the Trigona genus, appears reddish-brown in color and ranges from 8-22mm in size. Unlike other bees vulture bees do not collect pollen, intentionally pollinate other plants nor feed on plant nectar, instead they prefer to feast on carrion or dead animal proteins. Vulture bees are the only bees in the world known to have evolved in order to maintain a diet not produced by plants.
When feeding, vulture bees typically enter the carcass through the eyes, from there they’ll use their mandibles to effectively breakdown the flesh. In order to feed effectively, vulture bees have evolved to have five large, pointed teeth, which also supports their painful biting and aggressive reputation.
Instead of the sweet nectar honey most bees produce, vulture bees create their own unique honey from the protein-rich secretions of their hypopharyngeal glands derived from their diet.