۷۰Million Years of Building Thermal Envelope Experience: Building Science Lessons from the Honey Bee

Technology transfer within the building industry can take many forms—from research reporting, to case studies, to classroom learning. Sometimes, we seek building science lessons from nature, hoping to apply the experience of time-proven systems to the construction and energy challenges we face today.
Honey bees (genus Apis) are highly eusocial insects that evolved during the Neolithic Age (approximately 70 million years ago). As such, Apis mellifera—the common Western honey bee—has been in the sustainable building science business for at least 20 million years (more than 10 million years longer than humans). Their nest construction, socialstructures, energy management, honey production, and crop pollination have been studied more than any other social insect. Evidence exists that humans have been harvesting honey and honeycomb as far back as 7000 B.C. and have been actively tending honey bee colonies since ca. 5000 B.C. So what building science lessons have we gleaned from honey bees?