Dan Shine from the Irons Area Tourist Association Teardrop Bass Tournament emailed us:

 A couple of friends of mine were out and saw what looks like a honey comb in an apple tree. It looked like several honey combs just out in the open. There were bees between the combs, but they were inactive. It was yesterday and it was cold (October 23, 2008). We were up north near the Irons, Michigan area just north of Baldwin.

We had not seen anything that looked like this before and just guessed it was exposed honey combs from a swarm of bees. I was looking to get some info on this phenomenon.


Caroline Abbott, beekeeper, replied:

What you saw was probably a feral colony or a swarm colony that decided to build its comb out in the open.  It happens occasionally.

Unfortunately they probably will not survive the winter because the weather is too cold now, and they are too exposed.  It is too late to try to hive a swarm colony like that.  Earlier in the season, it would have been possible to wire the combs into frames and hive a feral colony like that. 

What usually happens is a swarm will cluster on a tree or open area and then try to find a good location to build a new colony.  Sometimes the weather catches them, or they just decide to stay where they swarmed for some reason and build comb there.

Sometimes they do manage to survive the winter if they have enough honey. If there are a lot of combs, they may have been there awhile.  Most likely they haven't though, and will not survive the winter.

Thanks for your question and for sending your pictures!

Dr.  Larry Connor, bee expert, added the following note:

Professor Roger Morse determined that these swarms are responding to lower light levels and start to build comb. Once comb is started, they do not leave the site.