This is fantastic, Madhav! For me this is more appealing than the monochrome one. Should make a fine wall hang. How balanced is the colours and patterns. May be we can call it Greater "balanced" hornet nest

Regards,
Prashanth

This is unimaginable, Madhav. The true art by Nature which has a purpose and the beauty. Do these insects share our sense of aesthetics? Who knows! Only nature can answer.

the pastel tones and the brush strokes effect make it sublime . Interesting they should be called banded so is their work . Amazing one

This is absolutely stunning Madhav. Very mysterious indeed.

What a structure this is! Amazing what a primitive society of small brains can construct. Do they just build to suit their needs and this pattern comes out as consequence? or do they prefer these layers in colors and shapes? We have much to discover, learn, and understand the secrets of nature.

Thanks for capturing this and sharing. ( In the thumbnail I saw ice cream cake layers but I wasn't disappointed by this at all )

Thanks
Vageesha A R.

This is brilliant. Both seeing and execution is at it's peak.
Liked the pastelish feel of the nest.

Thank you all! All credit should go to nature here. For the first 3-4 days, I could not figure out what to capture. Patterns on the nest was overwhelming to me. Only after a week, I was able to figure out what to capture. Tried my best to capture its grandeur, but I honestly feel there is room for improvement.

@Prashanth: Lol, I agree with your suggestion.

Do they just build to suit their needs and this pattern comes out as consequence? or do they prefer these layers in colors and shapes? We have much to discover, learn, and understand the secrets of nature.

I dont know the answer either. I'm sure there is some explanation / rational behind such patterns. From the internet I got to know that each striation is the work of an individual bee!! Sort like a signature. Like you and Ganesh said, there is much to discover and comprehend (aesthetically and scientifically).

Just a thought- May be it is the need to "comprehend/understand" that blocks us from making images sometimes. It seemed to me ( I may be wrong ) you tried to comprehend and understand for 3-4 days. When you gave up on that track then the space opened up for a more non-thinking, reactionary and poetic mode.
May be there is no need for rational, science, reason . Just be in awe / wonder/ helplessness / foolish / inadequate and let the image form in the mind in that space .
Writing this as a larger topic not concerning Madhav alone. A think aloud note for myself as well. Thoughts ?

I can only tune into the choir. A human mind would probably not think out such a beautiful pattern.

Thanks Anders.

May be there is no need for rational, science, reason . Just be in awe / wonder/ helplessness / foolish / inadequate and let the image form in the mind in that space .
Writing this as a larger topic not concerning Madhav alone. A think aloud note for myself as well. Thoughts ?

Interesting question Raj. I think knowing everything would take away the awe. I doubt we will ever understand the complete nature in a 'scientific' way. A little bit of knowledge can also greatly add to the mystery and fascination towards the creature or creation.



Love to know your and others thoughts!

Madhav, I think Science is "work in progress" to understand the art of Nature (not the 'human art'). I do believe, visual beauty is only small part of the 'beauty' of Nature. The rest takes an abstract form, perception of which is limited again by intellectual boundary of us, the humans. Interestingly this limitation provided us space, both for reasons and no-reasons. As Kant pointed, reasons have their limitations too. At the end I think we are on our own, helplessly and beautifully left alone to wonder and continue this wonderful journey called 'life' - whatever that means!

As mentioned above, the thumbnail looked too delicious.. Love it!

A wonderful abstract here Madhav! Without your commentary on the image, it would a been super hard to figure out the reality hidden underneath this image!! Well seen and well made!!