Abstract
The hexagonal brood-rearing cells inside the nest combs of the hornet Vespa orientalis are uniform in both their architecture and orientation. We have discovered that each cell contains a minute crystal that projects down from the centre of its domed roof and has a composition typical of the magnetic mineral ilmenite1,2. These tiny crystals form a network that may act like a surveyor's spirit-level, helping the hornets to assess the symmetry and balance of the cells and the direction of gravity while they are building the comb.
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Stokroos, I., Litinetsky, L., van der Want, J. et al. Keystone-like crystals in cells of hornet combs. Nature 411, 654 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35079679
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35079679
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