Page 18 - The Miracle of the Honeybee

16 THE MIRACLE OF THE HONEYBEE

One characteristic of this substance is that after coming into contact
with the air, it hardens very quickly. The protein known as fibroin which it
contains is a powerful bactericide and prevents infection. Scientists study-
ing bees estimate that the cocoons they weave protect these pupae from
germs.
The material used in weaving the cocoon consists of a combination of
different chemical substances in specific proportions:
1. The elastic protein fibroin makes up 53.67%, a compound that in-
cludes glycol (66.5%), alanine (21%), leucine (1.5%), arginine (1%) and ty-
rosine (10%).
2. Sericin, a gelatin-like protein that consists of 29% serine, 46% alanine
and 25% leucine, constitutes 20.36%.
3. Other proteins constitute another 24.43%.
4. 1.39% is wax.
5. Fat and resin constitute 0.10%.
6. Coloring material adds a trace element, at 0.05%. 6
The formula for this thread with which the larvae spin their cocoons is
produced in exactly the same way in each bee. For millions of years, bee
larvae have weaved their cocoons using thread with that exact formula.
Moreover, the bee larvae produce this complex substance only when they
need it, just before their pupal stage. Bearing these facts in mind, a number
of questions arise. For instance, how is this substance suddenly produced
in the larva’s body? Can a larva, without eyes, wings or legs, which has
never seen the world and is unaware of the kind of life it will lead, decide
on its own to produce such a substance? Did the larva hit upon the for-
mula for the protective chemical substance on its own? Did it succeed in
producing it by itself? Who placed these necessary chemicals in the larva’s
body?
It is of course impossible for the larva—which is unable even to move
by itself, whose care is provided by other adults, which is unable to see or
hear and possesses only the most basic vital functions—to form the thread
used in the cocoon on its own. Even claiming that such an ability were
possible would be to distance oneself from science and reason, because