Monday, 6 February 2023 – 11:06 WIB
LIVE Techno – If someone ever refers to you as ‘Bee Knee’, take it as a compliment. It is an idiom that describes an object or someone who is greatly admired, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
But in a real sense, is it true that bees have knees? Let’s first consider the knee with which we are most familiar, namely our own.
The human knee is a complex structure. It includes three bones, the femur, tibia (shin bone) and patella (kneecap). But it’s not just bones. Various cartilages, ligaments and tendons, with the help of lubricants, all work in synchrony to help humans straighten and bend the legs at the knees.
Many other animals, such as birds, mammals and some reptiles also have knees with kneecaps, quoting from the Live Science website, Monday, February 6, 2023.
Bees and other insects, on the other hand, do not have bones like other animals. Unlike vertebrates, which have a hard skeleton to hold up their slippery exterior, bees and other insects are the complete opposite.
The bee skeleton or exoskeleton is on the outside. The outer shell is made of a hard material called chitin, protecting its softer interior.