时差N小时 谁是大自然最伟大的建筑师?(上)

Unless you're an entomologist or a beekeeper, bees typically inspire one thing: fear.

说起蜜蜂，大家第一反应是觉得“可怕”，当然昆虫学者或养蜂人例外。

But most bees are non-aggressive, and only sting when provoked.

但是，大多数的蜜蜂是没有攻击性的，万不得已才会蜇人!

In fact, once you get beyond the stinger, bees are pretty fascinating.

撇开蜇人的问题，蜜蜂其实很有魅力。

For example, honey bees are great builders.

例如，蜜蜂是伟大的建筑家。

They have construction begins with finding a suitable site.

他们建造蜂巢的第一步是选址：

Scout¹ bees seek hollow spaces in trees and human-made structures.

侦察蜂在树林间或人造建筑物中寻找

Such spaces must be able to hold at least six and a half gallons, and have a small entrance that faces south for warmth.

理想的空间需要至少6.5加仑，并且有朝南的温暖的入口。

Once they've found the perfect spot, the scouts² prepare the site by clearing away loose wood or other rubbish and coat the space with a dried tree resin³ called propolis.

一旦找到绝佳的建造蜂巢点，侦察蜂会清理松动的木材或其它垃圾，并在空地上涂抹一种名为蜂胶的干树脂。

Worker bees then take over, secreting⁴ wax to build the hive.

接下来该工蜂登场了，他们分泌蜂蜡建造蜂巢。

Starting from the top and working down, they build combs-layers of hexagonally shaped cells with passage ways along the walls to allow bees to move between combs.

他们从顶部向下开始建造蜂巢，每个蜂房都是六边形的。蜂房与蜂房留有通道方便蜜蜂出入。

1 scout   

n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索

参考例句：

• He was mistaken for an enemy scout and badly wounded.他被误认为是敌人的侦察兵，受了重伤。
• The scout made a stealthy approach to the enemy position.侦察兵偷偷地靠近敌军阵地。

2 scouts   

侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员

参考例句：

• to join the Scouts 参加童子军
• The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组，然后开始巡逻这个地区。

3 resin   

n.树脂，松香，树脂制品；vt.涂树脂

参考例句：

• This allyl type resin is a highly transparent, colourless material.这种烯丙基型的树脂是一种高度透明的、无色材料。
• This is referred to as a thixotropic property of the resin.这种特性叫做树脂的触变性。

4 secreting   

v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的现在分词 )；隐匿，隐藏

参考例句：

• It is also an endocrine gland secreting at least two important hormones. 它也是一种内分泌腺，至少分泌二种重要的激素。 来自辞典例句
• And some calcite-secreting organisms also add magnesium to the mix. 有些分泌方解石的生物，会在分泌物中加入镁。 来自互联网