Wonders of Insect Architecture. 



rials. They might be arranged tier upon tier, like 

 the papery combs of the wasp, only mouth upwards, 

 so that the honey could not run out. But such an 

 arrangement has many disadvantages : it would necessi- 

 tate the building of a substantial floor to support the 

 weight of the cells when filled with honey ; and, to pre- 

 vent sagging of the floors during the heat of summer, 

 they would have to be supported by pillars placed here 

 and there, as may be seen in the wasp's nest work 

 that would use up much precious wax. 



How does the worker bee solve these problems ? 

 The first she accomplishes by the one and only pos- 

 sible solution namely, by adopting the hexagonal cell, 

 with its base composed of three rhombs, as the 

 shape of the receptacle that shall serve as nursery 

 or storehouse as occasion shall require ; while the 

 second is accomplished by placing the cells back to 

 back, so that one thin central, vertical sheet of wax 

 serves to stop the ends of all the cells on each side. 

 Moreover, the vertical comb is not built from be- 

 low upwards, but from the top of the frame or from 

 the roof downwards. First, a small block of wax is 

 attached to the roof, and then on either side of this 

 support the bees hollow out depressions which become 

 the bases of the first cells. After this the work is 

 extended downwards and sideways, the cell bases being 

 multiplied as quickly as possible in all directions, with 

 the result that there are a great number of half-finished 

 cells in process of construction long before the walls 

 of the first cells are completed, this rapid first exten- 

 sion of foundations permitting a greater number of 

 bees to work on the formation of the cells. Close 



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