Functions 
Move or Stay Put – Attach – Temporarily
Get, Store or Distribute Resources – Expel – Solids

Also known as the mesothoracic leg, the midleg is the second pair of legs on the thorax of the bee, seen above in Halictus rubicundus from the University of Calgary Invertebrate Collection. Changes in the midlegs of the bees are often a secondary sexual characteristic, affecting male bees and influencing their chances of finding a mate.

Modified midlegs are often used to hold onto the female as the bee mates with her. Many species mate in midair, so the ability to stay coupled together is important. Midlegs can also contain different coloured brushes and keels used for grooming.1

Male Anthophora porterae with a white brush on the midleg from the University of Calgary Invertebrate Collection.

Male Anthophora ursina with an orange brush on the midleg from the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab.

Some of the stunning images on this page are courtesy of Sam Droege and the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab, which develops identification tools and surveys for native bees.

This page was created by Holly Kerstiens in collaboration with Dr. Mindi Summers, Dr. Marjan Eggermont, Dr. Jess Vickruck, Lincoln Best and Dr. Alex Ralevski as part of an independent studies project in winter 2019. This information is also available as a collection on AskNature.org. 

Sources

1 The Bees of the World
Hopkins Fulfillment Service. 2007.
Michener, C.D.