时差N小时 谁是大自然最伟大的建筑师?(上)（在线收听）

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：

Scout 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 scouts prepare the site by clearing away loose wood or other rubbish and coat the space with a dried tree resin 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, secreting 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。