The bee Tetragonula builds its comb like a crystal

Cardoso, Silvana S. S.; Cartwright, Julyan H. E.; Checa, Antonio G.; Escribano, Bruno; Osuna-Mascaro, Antonio J.; Sainz-Diaz, C. Ignacio

Publicación: JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
2020
VL / 17 - BP / - EP /
abstract
Stingless bees of the genusTetragonulaconstruct a brood comb with a spiral or a target pattern architecture in three dimensions. Crystals possess these same patterns on the molecular scale. Here, we show that the same excitable-medium dynamics governs both crystal nucleation and growth and comb construction inTetragonula, so that a minimal coupled-map lattice model based on crystal growth explains how these bees produce the structures seen in their bee combs.
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Access level

Bronze