Romeo’s breakthrough - scientific mystery solved!

During the past few days, I’ve been laying amongst the junk and pondering a few things.  Questions about the “how’s” of the natural world.  

Further, I know there are a few of you out there who don’t appreciate the intelligence of your four pawed companions, so I’d like to provide a demonstration of intelligence by addressing a long sought after answer to one of nature’s mysteries.

Work with me now, okay? My solved conclusions are not for the feint of heart….

Bees and honeycombs -  Grand-dad is keeping bees now.  Or maybe they are keeping him.  Not sure at this point as there are approximately 30,000 of them.   One person or 30,000 bees - you tell me who is keeping who.  

So the bees arrive at the agricultural center.  He and the other members set up the bees with their hives.

But Grand-dad decided he wanted to start some bees at home too.  So he drove them home.  I should mention  they came home IN the truck, not in the bed of the truck.  INSIDE THE TRUCK.  

This is how they were transported....and please note that not all the bees were in the transport box.  There were some hitch hikers - part of the colony that didn't want to get left behind.  yes, even bees have separation anxiety.  I mean c'mon if you saw your best friend leaving, you would want to go with him wouldn't you?!?!

And here is the queen.  She has her own special little box and several traveling attendants.  Seriously, if she doesn't have the attendents, within hours she will simply lay over on her side and die. Sheesh, I hope she isn't reincarnated as a cat in her next life - independence isn't her strong suite!

 

Anyway, back to the topic....seeing how Grand-dad made it home without a single sting, I thought perhaps they were a friendly bunch and took the opportunity to get a first hand look at the little guys and their home. 

Have you ever really looked at a honeycomb?!? I mean REALLY looked at one? Check this out…

All the “cells” are perfectly spaced apart, perfectly constructed with exactly the same measurements on all sides and perfectly matching the one next to it.  Seriously! Look at the picture again and you’ll find a new appreciation for the little guys…..if you still don't appreciate the gravity of what I'm saying here, click on the picture to enlarge it, ....their little honeycomb is perfect!

How do they do that?  And how can so many of them agree on the same shape, depth and design?!?! I mean these are bees for pete's sake, not rocket scientists! 

After a great deal of analysis, I came upon the answer in what Oprah calls the “Ah ha” moment….

Note, below is the picture of the bee keeper and a few of his bees.  Before he left with the bees for the trip home there were at least a dozen on him.

In this picture, an incredible event is occurring.  It is that moment when the bee keeper, who is also an engineer, passes on his knowledge of structure and precision measurement practices to the instructor bees.  Similar to osmosis (you did learn about that in school didn’t you?), but this acts strictly on brain wave transmission.  The bee keeper transmits and the instructor bees tune in with their antennae and absorb all the necessary information!  And *poof* they know how to make a perfect honeycomb!  Amazing, yes?!

The relationship has it perks for the bee keeper as well.  Because the bees are grateful, they share with the bee keeper how NOT to make them mad – which I might add is NOT a pretty sight.  Which, BTW is why "she" got stung - not privy to the same knowledge as Grand-dad, "she" squeezed one of them when she reached for the frame.  Like duh, bees do NOT like to be squeezed!

Well that concludes our lesson for today.  Now you know just how the bees make a honeycomb! Thank you for attending!

Next time I post I think I will tell you about another mystery of science….how “she” seems to always find room for yet another piece of junk.  That post won’t be for the feint of heart either – graphic pictures will be shown, facts and numbers revealed…..such as just how many old tattered books does “she” really have? 

Of course, if there's any other dirt you'd like to know, I am certainly open to suggestions. 

In the meantime, have a great day and try not to stare too hard at the next bee you happen upon.