8 May 2025

Bees are incredible architects, creating intricate combs within their hives.

The queen lays down pheromones to signal the start of construction. Worker bees, aged 12 to 20 days, produce wax from glands on their abdomens. They chew the wax to soften it and use their body heat to keep the wax malleable.

The photo above shows the queen in one of our hives. The comb is used to store honey and pollen, and to house brood. Its efficient design is remarkable. Bees maintain and repair the comb, ensuring it remains functional.

The frames used by beekeepers already have a hexagonal grid on both sides, which the bees use. But in a busy hive, bees often try to make more comb in any bit of space they can find.

This photo shows some amazing wild comb that our beekeeper found in one of our hives on the roof of the London Muslim Centre.