>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?
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|      Thomas G. Paschall, Jr.      |
|  Beech Island, South Carolina USA |
|          [log in to unmask]          |
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