Fuente: PubMed "apis mellifera" Eur Phys J E Soft Matter. 2026 May 9;49(5):39. doi: 10.1140/epje/s10189-026-00586-8.ABSTRACTWe studied the surface morphology (micro- plus nanostructure) of Indian carpenter bee wings. In comparison with the Stenocara beetle's surface morphology or the lotus leaf surface morphology, the Indian carpenter bee wing shows a different type of surface morphology. It is observed that the two-tire surface morphology of the wings plays a key role in controlling wettability. The equilibrium contact angle (θ) and contact angle hysteresis (Δθ) measurement revealed that the carpenter bees' wings behave as superhydrophobic and self-cleaning for large water drops. Small drops formed by condensation nucleate in microchannels and ridges, grow through condensation and coalescence, and eventually become larger Wenzel or Wenzel-Cassie-Baxter type drops that lose their superhydrophobicity and self-cleaning property. Growth dynamics of condensed water drops on the wing surface show two distinguishing growth laws < R > ~ tα, α = 0.41 ± 0.03 in the initial state and < R > ~ tα, α = 0.99 ± 0.03 in the self-similar (coalescence-dominated) state with maximum surface coverage ≃ 0.45.PMID:42104038 | DOI:10.1140/epje/s10189-026-00586-8