I got a call to extricate a hive of bees taking up residence in the wall a
garden shed.  The walls were 1x12 boards, nailed vertically with 1x2
battons, on 2x4 studs with braces between studs on this ten by ten shed.
The siding looked to be cedar, and the bees were coming/going through knot
holes.

Upon my arrival, I found they had two hives, one on the East side and
another on the South side.  So I went to work taking the boards off,
hoping to cut the combs and insert the comb in frames, etc.

On the East side, the combs were constructed and oriented North - South,
parallel to the siding I removed.  However, on the South side, the frames
were perpendicular to the siding, but still oriented North - South.

In all my years of catching and retreiving swarms of feral colonies, it
was the first time I took notice that both of these feral colonies
oriented their combs in a North - South pattern, despite differences in
the spaces they took up residence.

Coincidence?  This shed was in deep shade so sunshine was not an obvious
factor to my observation.  Anyone with any ideas?

Grant
Jackson, MO

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