![]() A well-connected nest reduces the surface area-to-volume ratio, potentially enhancing thermoregulation efficiency, improving larvae development and winter survival. The study also identified potential reasons why honey bees prioritize nest connectedness. However, the study revealed no significant difference in worker population, comb area, hive weight, or nest temperature between colonies with intact nest structures and those with disrupted nest structures. They initially hypothesized that this disruption would negatively impact colony-level performance. To test how important this stereotyped structure is for colony development, the international team of researchers disrupted the nest structure of another group of colonies by rearranging the movable wooden bee-frames in a new randomized order every week. They found that honey bees rapidly build a well-connected spheroid nest composed of parallel combs that expand in all directions from the nest origin. ![]() This approach allowed them to observe and analyze the growth and organization of combs within the nests without sacrificing the colonies. To investigate the development of honey bee nests over time, the research team employed non-destructive, photo-based sampling methods using moveable wooden bee-frames. The study focused on the intricate three-dimensional nest building behavior of honey bee colonies. The findings shed new light on the adaptive nature of honey bee colonies and how nest structure contributes to colony function. Contrary to previous assumptions, the researchers found that the disruption of three-dimensional nest structure while colonies were building their nests did not hinder colony performance.
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