Why do bees build hexagonal combs and not pentagonal or octagonal?

Answer

Dear Peter

A honeycomb consists of hexagonal cells, on either side of a vertical partition. The honeycomb is constructed in such a way that the bottom of one cell on one side of the partition wall is part of the bottom of three cells on the other side. This improves the sturdiness of the comb. A lot of studies have been done on the shape of those hexagonal cells; and many hypotheses have already been formulated. It is now generally assumed that the shape of a hexagonal cell is the best shape to fill a surface as efficiently as possible. This is not the case with a circle or an octagon, where there is always a gap between the different octagons or circles. In addition to regular hexagons, equilateral triangles and squares can also be used to efficiently fill a surface. Eggs could also be laid in such a form by the queen; after hatching, this produces a larva that is more or less round. This would mean that there is a great loss of space (and energy, temperature) in the triangles and squares. The cells are not only used for brooding (the larvae) but also for food storage (pollen and honey). With the hexagonal cells it is possible to stack the most food per unit area. It is now assumed that the hexagonal shape is no coincidence: nature always strives to obtain the highest possible yield with as little energy consumption as possible. The hexagons give the bees the most room to produce honey. This can also be proved mathematically. In addition, it has been shown that in the case of regular hexagons, the total perimeter of the cell borders is minimal.

Kind regards

Hans