Honeycomb construction.

Actual structures made of beeswax on a wood ceiling (a-d) and schematic honeycomb images (e-j) taken during the first stage of the hive construction process, where panels e-g represent two-dimensional (2D) patterns on a plane (e.g., ceiling), and panels h-j represent 3D patterns. We consider the tetrapod structure (a), the size of which is of a similar order to that of a honeybee, to be the basic building block. On the plane, several tetrapods connect horizontally (b) in one direction (x-direction), which then elongates (c) in the perpendicular direction (y-direction). The structure also grows (d) in the vertical direction (z-direction). The schematic images e-g correspond to a-c, respectively. Thus, the pattern grows simultaneously in each direction.