Bees Built Homes in Ancient Owl Leftovers

Deep inside a cave, a peculiar story unfolded.

Giant Owls and Bone Pellets

Giant owls, with their big eyes and even bigger appetites, left behind a mess. They ate their prey and then spat out bone pellets. These pellets created a cozy spot for bees.

Scientists found something strange in the cave. They saw odd shapes in the teeth of old rodent skulls. These shapes looked like bee nests. The cave was full of bones. It was a perfect place for bees to build their homes. The bones provided safety and protection.

A Treasure Trove of Bones

The cave, now in the Dominican Republic, was a treasure trove. It had bones from many animals. There were sloths, lizards, tortoises, and even crocodiles. The bones were from 20,000 years ago. The owls brought the bones into the cave. Over time, soil covered the bones. This filled the empty spaces in the bones.

Scientists noticed something unusual. Some tooth sockets had smooth structures. These looked like fossilized wasp cocoons. But they were not cocoons. They were bee nests.

A Chance Discovery

The cave was discovered by chance. A landowner tried to turn it into a septic tank. But it became a site of discovery. Scientists found thousands of bones. They were from many different animals. The cave was a time capsule. It showed what life was like thousands of years ago.

The bees used the bones to build their nests. The owls did not know they were helping the bees. Nature has a way of surprising us.