Assistant Prof at Auburn. Interested in collective behavior, automated tracking, social physiology, and how honey bee colonies do what they do.
Auburn, AL
Joined November 2019
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You can find the @SmithBeeLab at BlueSky!
@smithbeelab.bsky.social
(I won't be checking this account for the foreseeable future, sorry!)
Michael Smith retweeted
Symmetry is vital to bees & their hives reflect it. 🐝
#NSFfunded researchers discovered that bees build their hives in mirroring patterns, which speeds up growth, resulting in more baby bees & a stable temperature. bit.ly/4fNsSG8
📷: @SmithBeeLab, by Peter R. Marting
ALT honey bee combs, arranged to show the symmetry between the two sides of the comb. All combs were built and stockpiled by the bees (i.e., no embossed wax was provided).
Michael Smith retweeted
New pub! Honeybee nests are super symmetrical, the pattern of cell contents is mirrored on either side of the comb. This symmetry
1 is unique to each comb in the nest
2 evolves over time while maintaining symmetry
3 aids in thermoregulation and rearing
4 conserved across Apis🔗⬇️
Thrilled to see our new @SmithBeeLab paper out in @CurrentBiology!
Buckle up, this one’s a wild dive into the world of architectural symmetry…
cell.com/current-biology/ful…
As for symmetry, well, it looks like we ALSO find it in the extended phenotype of the superorganism, and it has a functional benefit. And it’s been sitting right in front of us for so long! Once again, you can observe a lot just by watching.
ps. Yes, there is at least one @taylorswift13 easter egg in the manuscript. I mean, obvi.
Michael Smith retweeted
Contrary to this poll (and even most of us in the @SmithBeeLab), turns out most colonies prefer to initiate their nest near the entrance instead of the ceiling, even if that means they build their comb from a vertical wall! At least in our infinity nest: sciencedirect.com/science/ar…
Where would honeybees prefer to initiate their nest after they move into a large cavity? A really large cavity, let's say an 8ft tall cavity, with the the entrance at the bottom. Answer the poll then see the data in our latest pub below!
65%Build nest from ceiling
10%Build nest near entrance
24%Somewhere in between
49 votes • Final results Michael Smith retweeted
Help students attend the 2026 IUSSI conference in Freiburg, Germany! 🐝 Our goal is to support at least 4 students. Let's raise more than $10,000 and show our support for students in our community! 🐝 PLEASE donate if you can! Scan this QR code, or click the link in the thread 🐝
Michael Smith retweeted
Where would honeybees prefer to initiate their nest after they move into a large cavity? A really large cavity, let's say an 8ft tall cavity, with the the entrance at the bottom. Answer the poll then see the data in our latest pub below!
65%Build nest from ceiling
10%Build nest near entrance
24%Somewhere in between
49 votes • Final results