The Key to Darwin's Theory
As part of its commitment to bringing alive the Home of Charles Darwin, English Heritage has recreated one of the most important experiments behind the scientist’s famous work On the Origin of Species.
A new specially constructed observation bee hive in the gardens at Down House will help visitors to see honeybees at work building honeycomb just as Darwin did almost 150 years ago when trying to prove his theory of evolution.
The geometrical perfection of hexagonal honeycomb produced by bees was a potential stumbling block to Charles Darwin’s theory. He had to prove how something so complex could be constructed instinctively by insects without some form of divine guidance.
In 1858 Darwin turned to several beekeepers for help including his close friend, and parish priest, the Rev John Innes. Although he disagreed with Darwin’s theory of evolution, Innes gave him specimens of honeycomb to examine and helped him fill a glass-sided beehive for an experiment, probably with a swarm of his own bees. This enabled the scientist to study comb building at close quarters and so prove a key point in his theory on evolution allowing him to complete his great work On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection published in 1859.
He described their construction work as: "… a sort of balance struck between many bees, all instinctively standing at the same relative distance from each other, all trying to sweep equal spheres, and then building up or leaving ungnawed, the planes of intersection between these spheres."
The installation of the new beehive is part of an on-going programme at Down House to recreate some of the many experiments on plants, insects and animals Darwin undertook in his home, garden and surrounding countryside – an area of 10 square kilometres, that has recently been put forward as the UK’s nomination for World Heritage Site status in 2007.
Darwin’s great-great-grandson, Randal Keynes, said: "English Heritage has done so well at replicating many of Darwin’s plant experiments, but he was also looking at insects and animals. The addition of this beehive which played such an important part of his research will give visitors a greater appreciation of the range of his investigations and their value for our understanding of the natural world."
John Williams, Biggin Hill Master Beekeeper and secretary of the Westerham branch of the Kent Beekeepers’ Association, has stocked the hive with honeybees. He will also provide samples of honeycomb for visitors to see. He has produced his specimens by repeating Darwin’s experiments at his own apiary just three miles from Down House.
The observation hive is located in Darwin’s laboratory in the restored gardens at Down House. He had the room built in 1881 but didn’t live to use it.
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