These are the hooks that attach the rear wing to the fore wing of a honeybee.
The hairs on the wing membrane are called surface spines and are easily moved by contact with objects or currents of air. these send a multitude of messages to the brain with information of wind direction and speed, allowing the bee to fly.
Mo.
Bee wing hooks
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Bee wing hooks
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Very good Mo! Fascinating structures, and they must be pretty tough as well when you consider their function.
I also posted a shot of these hooks, or "hamuli" back in January. In the old forum I found some on a tiny 30 million year old wasp embedded in amber.
http://www.photomacrography1.net/forum/ ... ght=hamuli
I also posted a shot of these hooks, or "hamuli" back in January. In the old forum I found some on a tiny 30 million year old wasp embedded in amber.
http://www.photomacrography1.net/forum/ ... ght=hamuli