**Question 0** Are there some mathematical phenomena which are related to the form of honeycomb cells ? **Question 1** May be hexagonal lattice satisfy certain optimality condition(s) which are related to it ? The reason to ask - some considerations with famous ["K-means"][1] clustering algorithm on the plane. It also tends to produce something similar to hexagons, moreover, may be, ruling out technicalities, hexagonal lattice is optimal for K-means functional, that is [MO362135][2] question. **Question 2** Can it also be related to bee's construction ? ----------------------- Googling gives lots of sources on the question. But many of them are focused on non-mathematical sides of the question - how are bees being able to produce such quite precise forms of hexagons ? Why is it useful for them ? Etc. Let me quote the relatively recent [paper from Nature 2016][3], "The hexagonal shape of the honeycomb cells depends on the construction behavior of bees", Francesco Nazzi: > Abstract. The hexagonal shape of the honey bee cells has attracted the > attention of humans for centuries. It is now accepted that bees build > cylindrical cells that later transform into hexagonal prisms through a > process that it is still debated. The early explanations involving the > geometers’ skills of bees have been abandoned in favor of new > hypotheses involving the action of physical forces, but recent data > suggest that mechanical shaping by bees plays a role. However, the > observed geometry can arise only if isodiametric cells are previously > arranged in a way that each one is surrounded by six other similar > cells; here I suggest that this is a consequence of the building > program adopted by bees and propose a possible behavioral rule > ultimately accounting for the hexagonal shape of bee cells. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-means_clustering [2]: https://mathoverflow.net/q/362135/10446 [3]: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep28341