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The microbiome of built structures has considerable influence over an inhabitant's well-being, yet the vast majority of research has focused on human-built structures. Ants are well-known architects, capable of constructing elaborate dwellings, the microbiome of which is underexplored. Here, we explore the bacterial and fungal microbiomes in functionally distinct chambers within and outside the nests of Azteca alfari ants in Cecropia peltata trees. We predicted that A. alfari colonies (1) maintain distinct microbiomes within their nests compared to the surrounding environment, (2) maintain distinct microbiomes among nest chambers used for different functions, and (3) limit both ant and plant pathogens inside their nests. In support of these predictions, we found that internal and external nest sampling locations had distinct microbial communities, and A. alfari maintained lower bacterial richness in their 'nurseries'. While putative animal pathogens were suppressed in chambers that ants actively inhabited, putative plant pathogens were not, which does not support our hypothesis that A. alfari defends its host trees against microbial antagonists. Our results show that ants influence microbial communities inside their nests similar to studies of human homes. Unlike humans, ants limit the bacteria in their nurseries and potentially prevent the build-up of insect-infecting pathogens. These results highlight the importance of documenting how indoor microbiomes differ among species, which might improve our understanding of how to promote indoor health in human dwellings.

Symmetry is pervasive across the tree of life, 1,2,3,4,5 and organisms (including humans) build symmetrical structures for reproduction, locomotion, or aesthetics. 6,7,8,9 Symmetry, however, does not necessarily span across levels of biological organization (e.g., symmetrical body plans often have asymmetric organs). 10 If and how symmetry exists in structures built by social insect collectives, where there is no blueprint or central organizer, remains an open question. 11 Here, we show that honey bees actively organize nest contents symmetrically on either side of their double-sided comb; 79% ± 7% of cell contents match their backside counterpart, creating a mirror image inside the nest. Experimentally restricting colonies to opposite sides of comb, we find that independent colonies will symmetrically mimic each other's nest organization. We then examine the mechanism by which independent colonies can indirectly coordinate nest symmetry, showing that 100% of colonies (n = 6) perfectly co-localize their brood nest with a randomly positioned heat source, indicating that heat drives nest site initiation and early brood production. Nest symmetry also has adaptive benefits: two-sided nests grow more quickly, rear more brood, and have a more stable thermal environment than one-sided nests do. Finally, examining the evolutionary origins, we show that symmetry persists in three-dimensional (3D) nests of Apis mellifera and across multiple Apis species, coinciding with the onset of double-sided combs, which made it possible to symmetrically stockpile nest contents. This work shows that, similar to molecular mechanisms that create symmetry in multicellular organisms, there are behavioral processes that create functional symmetry in the collective organization of animal architecture. • Honey bees stockpile nest contents symmetrically, creating a mirror image • Independent colonies living on either side of a comb will mimic each other's nests • Symmetry has adaptive benefits for colony growth and temperature stability • Nest symmetry is conserved across multiple species of Apis Smith et al. show that honey bees stockpile their nests symmetrically on either side of the double-sided comb, revealing architectural symmetry in the extended phenotype. This symmetry provides the colony with adaptive benefits, remains conserved in three-dimensional (3D) nest structures, and spans multiple species of Apis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Form follows function throughout the development of an organism. This principle should apply beyond the organism to the nests they build, but empirical studies are lacking. Honeybees provide a uniquely suited system to study nest form and function throughout development because we can image the three-dimensional structure repeatedly and non-destructively. Here, we tracked nest-wide comb growth in six colonies over 45 days (control colonies) and found that colonies have a stereotypical process of development that maintains a spheroid nest shape. To experimentally test if nest structure is important for colony function, we shuffled the nests of an additional six colonies, weekly rearranging the comb positions and orientations (shuffled colonies). Surprisingly, we found no differences between control and shuffled colonies in multiple colony performance metrics-worker population, comb area, hive weight and nest temperature. However, using predictive modelling to examine how workers allocate comb to expand their nests, we show that shuffled colonies compensate for these disruptions by accounting for the three-dimensional structure to reconnect their nest. This suggests that nest architecture is more flexible than previously thought, and that superorganisms have mechanisms to compensate for drastic architectural perturbations and maintain colony function.