Gordy-
It sometimes happens that a swarm settles on a tree and does not
successfully - and quickly - find a new nest sight.  they may begin
setting up housekeeping in unusual places... sometimes even under eves or
I have even heard of comb being built in the isle of a barn.  It is
obviously not a good situation for the colony, and they are likely to
move on when the opportunity presents itself.
 
Now that you are a beekeeper, you will love to hive these "free bees."
 
Larry
Marengo, IL
 
 
On Tue, 23 Jan 1996, T.G. Paschall, Jr. wrote:
 
> >Gordy Allen-Wardell wrote:
> >......Bees in this part of the world don't build nests on exposed
> >limbs.........
>
> I'm new to beekeeping (I'm in the process of assembling 2 hives for this
> spring). Gordy's statement has me wondering about something I saw about 3
> years ago. I have a red oak 20 yards or so from my house. The lowest limb, 8
> to 10 feet from the ground, is about 5 to 10 degrees above horizontal.
>
> A swarm of bees built three combs (about 12 x 18 inches)on the underside of
> the limb near the trunk. They drew out the combs and then disappeared. I
> removed the combs and found none capped, no larvae, and as far as I could
> tell, no eggs.
>
> The tree is in full sun and the canopy provides only broken shade at best.
> Is it that odd to see wild bees do this? Did I see something extraordinary
> without realizing it?
> -------------------------------------
> |      Thomas G. Paschall, Jr.      |
> |  Beech Island, South Carolina USA |
> |          [log in to unmask]          |
> -------------------------------------
>