Bees

Pedigree of a Drone

The chart represents the pedigree of any semiparthenogenic creature such as a honeybee.  The males -- from unfertilized eggs -- are symbolized by black squares; the females by white squares.  A drone has one parent, two grandparents, three great-grandparents, five, eight, 13, and so on -- the Fibonacci series.

I'm sure you know that but do you know this?  The top row of the chart bears an amazing resemblance to an octave on the piano keyboard.  Each row, from the bottom up, represents in turn: a single note; a horn fifth (popular in ancient Rome); a major triad (causing such alarm to the early Christians); a pentatonic scale (of Oriental fame); a diatonic scale (major, of course); and a chromatic scale.  Thus we have the entire history of harmony summarized in a beehive.  No wonder bees hum!

Now if you want to know what the future has in store for music, just extend the generations upwards.

Okay, I know it's contrived -- but it's still rather amazing, isn't it?