> Further evidence that the hexagonal cell form is built by
> mechanical shaping can be found in the nests of social
> wasps, which are made of cellulose
> so they lack thermoplasticity and need to be softened using
> saliva (Karsai and Pénzes 1993).
>

What actually seems to be happening here is a natural process. I took a
look at a frame of drawn comb and was surprised to find many circular cells
at the top of the comb. Also many cells in the comb are circular on
different sides, especially the top of the cell.

If you bilt a comb of all circular cells, they would look like a comb of
hexagons as the empty space between the circles would be filled. Bees are
economical in their use of wax, so the cells would start to move into a
hexagonal shape naturally, and not because of any great scheme built into
their dna. Same with wasps. The material in both cases start in the mouths
of the insect and are pliable.

This issue mirrors the comb's brood/honey/pollen pattern. It would be nice
to ascribe it to a bee's dna but if you run a computer program it will
eventually evolve into just the same pattern (discussed somewhere back in
the archives).

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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