The bee Tetragonula builds its comb like a crystal. Issue 168 (22nd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cardoso, Silvana S. S.; Cartwright, Julyan H. E.; Checa, Antonio G.; Escribano, Bruno; Osuna-Mascaró, Antonio J.; Sainz-Díaz, C. Ignacio
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Royal Society interface. Volume 17:Issue 168(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07-22
• Subjects: bee -- excitable medium -- crystal -- comb; Physical sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; Life sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; Interdisciplinary research -- Periodicals; 570.5
• DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0187
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1742-5689

Abstract

Abstract : Stingless bees of the genus Tetragonula construct 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 in Tetragonula, so that a minimal coupled-map lattice model based on crystal growth explains how these bees produce the structures seen in their bee combs.