I got a bee call yesterday to check out bee hive in a tree.
 
Thinking it was in a tree stump, I came prepared today for a bait/cone bee
removal procedure.
 
Lo and behold, I arrived to find that a swarm had built a 4 comb hive
hanging from a branch.   The hive was 12 feet in a tree that hung over a
nursery school playground.  Naturally I shared the director's concern about
this hive coming down onto the playground on a very windy day.
 
I climbed a ladder and cut each comb to fit into 3 frames.  However, I
found that they fit better sideways and secured them with several rubber
bands.
 
My question is:  Will the bees get upset with this re- orientation of the
comb to a sideways position?
 
Interesting thing I noticed was that there was very little honey in the
area above the brood section. Though Santa Barbara has a Mediterranean
climate, I guess that a lot of it was spent making wax and keeping the
brood warm in this outside hive.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Paul Cronshaw, D.C.
Cyberchiro and Hobbyist Beekeeper
Santa Barbara, CA  USA