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{{Oscillator|name=Worker bee|pname=workerbee|p=9|h=15.6|c=34|bx=16|by=11|discoverer=David Buckingham|discoveryear=1972|life105=true|life106=true|plaintext=true|rle=true|animated=true|synthesis=19|synthesisRLE=true}}
{{Oscillator
'''Worker bee''' (or '''lonely bee'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.interserv.com/~mniemiec/objname.htm#L|title=Life Objects Sorted by Name (L)|author=Mark D. Niemiec|accessdate=May 1, 2009}}</ref>) is a [[period]] [[:Category:Oscillators with period 9|9]] [[oscillator]] and was found by [[:Category:Patterns found by David Buckingham|David Buckingham]] in [[:Category:Patterns found in 1972|1972]]. Unlike the similar [[snacker]], worker bee produces no [[spark]]s, and is thus not considered to be very important. Like the snacker, the worker bee is extensible - it is, in fact, a finite version of the infinite oscillator which consists of six ''on'' cells and two ''off'' cells alternating along a line.
|name             = Worker bee
|pname           = workerbee
|c                = 34
|bx              = 16
|by              = 11
|p               = 9
|m                = 9
|h               = 15.6
|v                = 0.66
|sv              = 0.66
|symmetry        = +e
|discoverer       = David Buckingham
|discoveryear     = 1972
|rulemin          = B3/S23
|rulemax          = B368/S237
|isorulemin      = B3aeijq/S23ainry
|isorulemax      = B2i34-ajn5-aq67c8/S234-ajw5-iqy6-ac7
|synthesis        = 16
|synthesisRLE    = true
|plaintext       = true
|rle             = true
|animated         = true
|viewerconfig    = #C [[ HEIGHT 480 THUMBSIZE 3 ZOOM 30 GPS 3 LOOP 9 ]]
|apgcode          = xp9_32acxca23zy0cuczggkcxckggz1y51
|pentadecathlonid = 34P9.1
}}
'''Worker bee''' (or '''lonely bee'''<ref>{{LinkNiemiec|objname.htm#l|title=Life Objects Sorted by Name (L)|nobullet=nobullet}}</ref>) is a {{period|9}} [[oscillator]] and was found by [[David Buckingham]] in {{year|1972}}.<ref>{{CiteLifeline|vol=6|pages=page 3}}</ref><ref>{{CiteHickersonOscillators|accessdate=March 14, 2020}}</ref> It consists of four [[eater 1]]s [[hassle|hassling]] a [[line-of-six spark]].


==References==
Similar to the [[snacker]], the worker bee is extensible - it is, in fact, a finite version of the infinite [[one-cell-thick pattern|one-cell-thick]] oscillator consisting of alternating groups of six ON cells and two OFF cells.
<references />


==External links==
This oscillator first appeared [[semi-natural]]ly in April {{year|2015}}, in a [[symmetric]] [[soup]] submitted to [[Catagolue]] by [[Dave Greene]].<ref name="post18947" />
{{LinkLexicon|lex_w.htm#workerbee}}
 
On August 4, {{year|2023}}, [[Carson Cheng]] and [[Chris857]] reduced the synthesis cost from 19 to {{gliders|17|text=17 gliders}}.<ref name="j4803517190"/><ref name="post164437"/> On August 28, {{year|2025}}, [[iNoMed]] found a {{gliders|16}} synthesis based on a semi-natural occurrence.<ref name="post216854"/><ref name="j11169566163"/>
 
{{EmbedViewer
|pname        = infiniteworkerbee
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 12 AUTOSTART GPS 3 ]]
|position    = center
|caption      = The infinite version of worker bee
}}
 
== p6 worker bee ==
The same unstable object (albeit not in the one-cell-thick phase) is also hasslable by four [[toad]]s to form the p6 worker bee ({{LinkCatagolue|code=xp6_7exe7z01ici1zotxtoz1y11|style=brief}}) or by an unnamed object, mutually stabilising each other, to form an unnamed fourfold variant ({{LinkCatagolue|code=xp6_y1o201ry6r102ozoi0hhgc221x7777x122cghh0iozy1oooyaooozy1333ya333z390hh1688gxssssxg8861hh093zy1380gry6rg083|style=brief}}).
 
{{EmbedViewer
|rle          = x = 40, y = 30, rule = B3/S23
18b2o10b2o$17bobo10bobo$16b3o12b3o$16b2o14b2o$16b4o2b2o2b2o2b4o$16bo2b
o10bo2bo$12b4ob2o5b2o5b2ob4o$o5bo4b4obo5b2o2b2o5bob4o$2o3b2o3bobobobo
16bobobobo$2o3b2o3b2o2b2o18b2o2b2o$bo3bo2$bo3bo8bo2bo14bo2bo$2bobo9bo
2bo14bo2bo$3bo12bo16bo$3bo12bo16bo$2bobo9bo2bo14bo2bo$bo3bo8bo2bo14bo
2bo2$bo3bo$2o3b2o3b2o2b2o18b2o2b2o$2o3b2o3bobobobo16bobobobo$o5bo4b4ob
o5b2o2b2o5bob4o$12b4ob2o5b2o5b2ob4o$16bo2bo10bo2bo$16b4o2b2o2b2o2b4o$
16b2o14b2o$16b3o12b3o$17bobo10bobo$18b2o10b2o!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 HEIGHT 500 ZOOM 12 GPS 3 AUTOSTART LOOP 6 ]]
|position    = center
|caption      = period-6 variants
|style        = width:300px;
}}
 
There is also a p10 Worker Bee with larger sparkers. <ref name="post199327"/>
 
== In other rules ==
By removing the [[isotropic non-totalistic]] transition B3r, the worker bee needs no external support. A row of 6 cells becomes a small period-9 [[pipsquirter]].
 
{{EmbedViewer
|rle          = x = 6, y = 1, rule = B3-r/S23
6o!
|viewerconfig = #C [[ THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 4 GPS 3 AUTOSTART LOOP 9 ]]
|position    = center
|caption      = The worker bee in B3-r/S23
|style        = width:300px;
|apgcode      = xp9_7w7/b3-rs23
}}
 
== See also ==
* [[Snacker]]
* [[68P9]]
 
== References ==
<references>
<ref name="j4803517190">{{CiteCatagolueJob|job=4803517190|date=August 4, 2023}}</ref>
<ref name="j11169566163">{{CiteCatagolueJob|job=11169566163|date=August 28, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="post18947">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title  = Re: Soup search results
|p      = 18947
|author = Dave Greene
|date  = April 23, 2015
}}</ref>
<ref name="post164437">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title  = Re: Synthesising Oscillators
|p      = 164437
|author = Chris857
|date  = August 1, 2023 <!-- original post date -->
}}</ref>
<ref name="post199327">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title  = Re: Oscillator Discussion Thread
|p      = 199327
|author = Period1GliderGun
|date  = December 5, 2024
}}</ref>
<ref name="post216854">{{LinkForumThread
|format = ref
|title  = Re: Synthesising Oscillators
|p      = 216854
|author = iNoMed
|date  = August 28, 2025
}}</ref>
</references>
 
== External links ==
* {{LinkLexicon|lex_w.htm#workerbee}}
* {{LinkCatagolue|xp9_32acxca23zy0cuczggkcxckggz1y51}}
* {{LinkNiemiec|period.htm#p9|8 Period-9 oscillators|rle=lg/34lyet4.rle}}
* {{LinkPentadecathlonObject|34P9.1}}
 
{{seminatural}}
[[Category:Extendable oscillators]]
__NOTOC__

Latest revision as of 16:11, 13 February 2026

Worker bee
2o12b2o$bo12bob$bobo8bobob$2b2o8b2o2b2$5b6o5b2$2b2o8b2o2b$bobo8bobob$b o12bob$2o12b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ AUTOSTART ]] #C [[ HEIGHT 480 THUMBSIZE 3 ZOOM 30 GPS 3 LOOP 9 ]]
View animated image
View static image
Pattern type Oscillator
Number of cells 34
Bounding box 16 × 11
Period 9 (mod: 9)
Heat 15.6
Volatility 0.66 | 0.66
Kinetic symmetry +e
Discovered by David Buckingham
Year of discovery 1972

Worker bee (or lonely bee[1]) is a period-9 oscillator and was found by David Buckingham in 1972.[2][3] It consists of four eater 1s hassling a line-of-six spark.

Similar to the snacker, the worker bee is extensible - it is, in fact, a finite version of the infinite one-cell-thick oscillator consisting of alternating groups of six ON cells and two OFF cells.

This oscillator first appeared semi-naturally in April 2015, in a symmetric soup submitted to Catagolue by Dave Greene.[4]

On August 4, 2023, Carson Cheng and Chris857 reduced the synthesis cost from 19 to 17 gliders.[5][6] On August 28, 2025, iNoMed found a 16-glider synthesis based on a semi-natural occurrence.[7][8]

x = 126, y = 1, rule = B3/S23:T128,50 6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o2b6o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 12 AUTOSTART GPS 3 ]]
The infinite version of worker bee
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here

p6 worker bee

The same unstable object (albeit not in the one-cell-thick phase) is also hasslable by four toads to form the p6 worker bee (Catagolue: here) or by an unnamed object, mutually stabilising each other, to form an unnamed fourfold variant (Catagolue: here).

x = 40, y = 30, rule = B3/S23 18b2o10b2o$17bobo10bobo$16b3o12b3o$16b2o14b2o$16b4o2b2o2b2o2b4o$16bo2b o10bo2bo$12b4ob2o5b2o5b2ob4o$o5bo4b4obo5b2o2b2o5bob4o$2o3b2o3bobobobo 16bobobobo$2o3b2o3b2o2b2o18b2o2b2o$bo3bo2$bo3bo8bo2bo14bo2bo$2bobo9bo 2bo14bo2bo$3bo12bo16bo$3bo12bo16bo$2bobo9bo2bo14bo2bo$bo3bo8bo2bo14bo 2bo2$bo3bo$2o3b2o3b2o2b2o18b2o2b2o$2o3b2o3bobobobo16bobobobo$o5bo4b4ob o5b2o2b2o5bob4o$12b4ob2o5b2o5b2ob4o$16bo2bo10bo2bo$16b4o2b2o2b2o2b4o$ 16b2o14b2o$16b3o12b3o$17bobo10bobo$18b2o10b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 HEIGHT 500 ZOOM 12 GPS 3 AUTOSTART LOOP 6 ]]
period-6 variants
(click above to open LifeViewer)

There is also a p10 Worker Bee with larger sparkers. [9]

In other rules

By removing the isotropic non-totalistic transition B3r, the worker bee needs no external support. A row of 6 cells becomes a small period-9 pipsquirter.

x = 6, y = 1, rule = B3-r/S23 6o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 4 GPS 3 AUTOSTART LOOP 9 ]]
The worker bee in B3-r/S23
(click above to open LifeViewer)
Catagolue: here

See also

References

  1. ↑ Life Objects Sorted by Name (L) at Mark D. Niemiec's Life Page
  2. ↑ Robert Wainwright (October 1972). Lifeline, vol 6, page 3.
  3. ↑ Dean Hickerson's oscillator stamp collection. Retrieved on March 14, 2020.
  4. ↑ Dave Greene (April 23, 2015). Re: Soup search results (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
  5. ↑ shinjuku (#4803517190) (August 4, 2023). Job triggered by Adam P. Goucher at GitLab Catagolue project.
  6. ↑ Chris857 (August 1, 2023). Re: Synthesising Oscillators (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
  7. ↑ iNoMed (August 28, 2025). Re: Synthesising Oscillators (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
  8. ↑ shinjuku (#11169566163) (August 28, 2025). Job triggered by Adam P. Goucher at GitLab Catagolue project.
  9. ↑ Period1GliderGun (December 5, 2024). Re: Oscillator Discussion Thread (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
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