LOTS OF INSECTS ARE BRILLIANT BUILDERS AND ENGINEERS!

We think of human beings as planet Earth’s greatest architects and engineers. But the complex, intricate structures built by some insects are just as impressive.

Stick homes built by bagworm moths

As caterpillars, these moths build their own ‘log cabins’ by collecting and assembling twigs of different lengths into a pattern that spirals to a tip. The caterpillar will rebuild its wooden home several times as it grows progressively larger.

Bees’ honeycomb

Bees use honeycomb to store honey, pollen and the queen bee’s eggs. But why is honeycomb always hexagonal? The reason is that structures built out of hexagons use the least amount of material – in this case, bees’ wax – to hold the most weight.

A ‘log cabin’ built by a caterpillar.

Bees’ honeycomb is built from a pattern of perfect hexagons.

Ant colonies

Ants live and work together in complex underground ‘cities’ called colonies. Different ants perform different roles within the colony. Queen ants lay eggs, up to 3OO,OOO in just a few days. Male drone ants mate with the queen, then die shortly afterwards. Female worker ants gather food, build and maintain the nest (shown above), and protect the colony and queen from attack. Male and female flying ants fly away to form new colonies.

False burnet moth ‘cages’

The larva of a false burnet moth spins itself an intricate golden cage that helps to protect it from potential predators.

Termite mounds

The largest termite mounds can soar up to seven metres high, which is taller than a giraffe. The mounds are made of mud, chewed wood, termite poo and saliva. All termite mounds have air-conditioning systems that circulate hot and cold air between the mound and the outside!