Insect Architecture

By Dr Philip Donkersley, Elliot Walker (Blowfish Glass) and Simon Fletcher

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This sculpture of a bumblebee nest in glass, made by award-winning artist Elliot Walker (Blowfish Glass) sheds new light on the secret lives of bees. 

 

Bumblebees lead a secret life, their nests hidden from view. At Lancaster University, bumblebee nests are studied for conservation, evolution and bio-inspired engineering. 

 

Have you ever seen a bumblebee nest? They are truly wonderful creatures, living very different lives to honeybees. Their colonies are much smaller and irregular in form. They can live underground, in trees or in your roof. Bumblebees are suffering the greatest population decline of any pollinator in the UK. Any small efforts to provide food for them in your garden, or a safe space for them to live can go a long way to helping out these magnificent creatures.

 

@bees_n_nozzles