----- Original Message ----- 
From: <[log in to unmask]>

> So, if these are developing properly, despite the rotation, then I see no
> reason why Queen cells would be a special case.  They are usually  already
> rotated 90 degrees from the normal cell position - which in  itself
> implies
> orientation isn't particularly important.

An oldtimer told me that there was once the fashion of turning the brood
nest upside down to stop swarm cells developing.  He said that it worked
once or twice, and then the bees just accepted it and swarmed anyway leaving
viable upside down queen cells.

> Someone must have been confident that this works

You have a touching faith in human nature ;-).

> On the other hand, its not
> uncommon to see ideas presented in the mode of - if I imagine it, it must
> be  true.

That wonderful human nature again.

> I'm still fascinated by the pictures of the brood nests and honey  rings.
> Just shows once again how flexible bee behavior is - obviously  brood
> frames
> don't rotate in nature.  Nor do trees get up and move.   Yet, we move
> hives
> all the time and the bees cope.

As Trevor said, a hive will continue on its merry way, even if upside down.
In fact they also do ok on their side, providing it isn't fresh drawn comb.

Indeed there is probably no real need for the comb to be in any particular 
position after it has hardened up enough to support itself.  Horizontal 
brood comb occurs in other bees and wasps.  It would be interesting to know 
if honey bees can store fresh nectar/honey in the bottom cells of a 
horizontal comb.

Geoff Manning

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