The specialization of insect legs is a great subject for photomicrography. The honeybee's legs are highly specialized. Here you can see the pollen combs which collect pollen from the middle legs and abdomen. The stiff bristles ("pecten" or "rake") at the bottom of the tibia collects the pollen from the pollen combs on the opposite side of the body. The pollen is collected into the space above the "anvil-like" auricle. When the bee bends it's leg back and forth (during flight) the pollen is crushed in this "pollen press" and packed into the pollen basket (located on the opposite side of the tibia from this view).
No surprise why this is commonly called a "pollen comb"
Without pollen, you can see the auricle and pecten more clearly
The pecten (... commonly called the "pollen rake")
And the auricle, part of the "pollen press" in the joint of the basitarsus and tibia, is very interesting when viewed at a little higher magnification. Looks like the perfect tool for the job of crushing and packing pollen.
