I tend to think of bees in hives, but three out of four species of these pollinators strike out on their own. A newly discovered species, O. avosetta, lines its underground nests with flower petals. Two teams of researchers found these unusual nests in Turkey and in Iran.

From the American Museum of Natural History press release:

“In this species, a female shingles the wall of her brood chambers with large pieces of petals or with whole petals, often of many hues,” says Jerome Rozen, curator in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the Museum. “Unfortunately, her larvae never enjoy the brilliant colors of the nest’s walls because they have no eyes—and, anyhow, they would need a flashlight!”

Hat tip to NPR— Read more about how these bees make the nests and see more amazing flower nest photos.