Bioinspired foundation optimization enhances comb-building efficiency in Apis cerana cerana (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

The advancement of beekeeping is closely linked to research on bee biology and improvements in beekeeping equipment. The use of a foundation significantly enhances the efficiency of comb construction. However, commercially available foundation sizes, which match the Langstroth standard frames, are not entirely suitable for Apis cerana cerana Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Apidae), resulting in bees gnawing on the lower edges of the foundation. This study bridges this ecological-technological mismatch by establishing species-specific foundation parameters through morphometric analysis of natural comb architecture. Apis c. cerana primarily starts comb construction in the upper half of the frame during the early stages. The comb pieces were mostly vertically elliptical (nest shape index = 1.4, with a ratio of 0.7 for the horizontal to vertical axis), with the cells predominantly arranged vertically. Based on the structural characteristics of A. c. cerana combs and the principle of economic efficiency, 3 foundation installation patterns were designed. These patterns all promote the comb-building efficiency of A. c. cerana. A comprehensive analysis of the implementation difficulty, construction rate, and regularity of cell orientation revealed that Pattern 3's foundation installation method (horizontal rectangular units: 36 × 10 cm) was determined to be the most efficient and biologically compatible with the comb-building characteristics of A. c. cerana. This study establishes a biomimetic framework for comb foundation optimization in A. c. cerana, demonstrating that horizontally aligned rectangular wax substrates (36 × 10 cm) enhance apicultural efficiency. These findings support an ethology-driven approach to apiculture that aligns with species-specific biological imperatives.