Bees make plastic that vanishes in a year — and it could replace polythene

WASHINGTON: Cellophane bees line their nests with a natural polyester that is flexible like plastic but degrades in soil within months, a new study in PNAS has found.

Researchers collected nest linings of Colletes inaequalis in Tennessee. Fresh lining could be folded without cracking, but after 11 months it had crumbled, with polyester content falling from 73% to 40% in just four months.

Unlike polythene, which persists for centuries, the bee polyester leaves its ester bonds exposed to water and enzymes, speeding breakdown. Despite thousands of nests being built in the same spot for decades, no plastic accumulates there.

Scientists say it could guide design of next-generation biodegradable plastics.