What characteristic distinguishes a drone from other bees?

A drone is specifically defined by its physical characteristics, which include a wider body and larger eyes compared to worker bees and queens. These features are adaptations for their role in reproduction, as drones are males whose primary function is to mate with a queen. The wider body helps facilitate a greater mass and potentially more strength for flight during mating flights, while the larger eyes are believed to assist in better navigation and detection of queens during these flights. The eye structure is particularly important for males because during mating, they need to be able to spot the queen from a distance.

In contrast, worker bees, which are female, have narrower bodies that enable them to perform a variety of tasks such as foraging, nursing, and hive maintenance, and their eye size is typically smaller than that of drones. The queen, although larger in body size, has her own distinct characteristics that set her apart from drones. Thus, the defining attributes of a drone are its wider body and larger eyes, making this the correct identification for distinguishing drones from other bees.