A second reason, given by D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson, is that the shape simply results from the process of individual bees putting cells together: somewhat analogous to the boundary shapes created in a field of soap bubbles. Thus, a hexagonal structure uses the least material to create a lattice of cells within a given volume. Known in geometry as the honeycomb conjecture, this was given by Jan Brożek and mathematically proven much later by Thomas Hales. First, the hexagonal tiling creates a partition with equal-sized cells, while minimizing the total perimeter of the cells.

Two possible explanations exist as to why honeycomb is composed of hexagons rather than any other shape. The cells slope slightly upwards, between 9 and 14°, towards the open ends. The open end of a cell is typically referred to as the top of the cell, while the opposite end is called the bottom. The axes of honeycomb cells are always nearly horizontal, with the open end higher than the back end. However, the term 'honeycomb' is not often used for such structures. Numerous wasps, especially Polistinae and Vespinae, construct hexagonal prism-packed combs made of paper instead of wax in some species (such as Brachygastra mellifica), honey is stored in the nest, thus technically forming a paper honeycomb. by the placement of a queen excluder) stays light-colored. Honeycomb in the ' supers' that are not used for brood (e.g. Fresh, new comb is sometimes sold and used intact as comb honey, especially if the honey is being spread on bread rather than used in cooking or as a sweetener.īroodcomb becomes dark over time, due to empty cocoons and shed larval skins embedded in the cells, alongside being walked over constantly by other bees, resulting in what is referred to as a 'travel stain' by beekeepers when seen on frames of comb honey. Such foundation sheets allow the bees to build the comb with less effort, and the hexagonal pattern of worker-sized cell bases discourages the bees from building the larger drone cells. If the honeycomb is too worn out, the wax can be reused in a number of ways, including making sheets of comb foundation with hexagonal pattern. The structure of the comb may be left basically intact when honey is extracted from it by uncapping and spinning in a centrifugal machine, more specifically a honey extractor. Honey bees consume about 8.4 lb (3.8 kg) of honey to secrete 1 lb (450 g) of wax, and so beekeepers may return the wax to the hive after harvesting the honey to improve honey outputs.

For other uses, see Honeycomb (disambiguation).Ī honeycomb is a mass of hexagonal prismatic wax cells built by honey bees in their nests to contain their larvae and stores of honey and pollen.īeekeepers may remove the entire honeycomb to harvest honey.

Honeycomb lights