Had a very interesting Friday. This rather unusual and very large honeybee nest was seen under the overhang of a local house. Honeybees usually build a nest in a cavity, but I’m seeing more like this, I think due to climate change. Left alone we didn’t think they’d survive winter.

With bee buddies Jim and Allison and support from the Wildlife unit of East Herts police to help avoid members of the public being stung, we gently removed the bees and the comb. Very sticky job!
However the bees had the last laugh. Behind all the comb was a small hole, leading to the main nest underneath the floor boards of the first floor. You can see an infra red image of the nest in the photos. That was some colony!
We will leave them to the spring and see what occurs.