Science
Strange, spiral bee combs look like fantastical crystal palaces. Now we know why. – Livescience.com
These Australian bees might be following the same rules that crystals use to grow.
In a world of bland hexagonal honeycombs, a small group of rebellious Australianbees
has chosen to build spiral staircases.
Meet the bees of the genus Tetragonula. These Aussie pollinators have no stingers, but make up for their defensive deficiencies by building mesmerizing fortresses of wax whose beauty haslong captivated the Internet
.
These spiral structures are actually giant, swirly nests called “brood combs.” Each little circular cell is an egg chamber, built by a wax-secreting worke…
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