Preference for comb orientation

[d.asly]

How do feral bees normally orient the comb with respect to the entrance?
The cold way, the warm way, on the diagonal, on the other diagonal...?

What would you make of the claim that the orientation of the entrance influences the orientation of the comb?

Seems a fellow named Meta Lengal presented some work on the question at a beekeeping conference in Prague a few years ago.
But there's not much to go on... Check it out: http://www.sweb.cz/vitavydra/pragaagro.html#lengal

What do you make of it? Anyone with experience?

[EngineeringBeek]

Well, since feral bees don't live in hives like we want them, the entrance isn't always ideal. Normally they build in a tree and the comb runs vertically. As far as "cold" or "warm" I think it varies because the tree normally offers enough insulation that it really doesn't matter which way the comb is, as long as its is vertical.

[beegee]

I've seen combs run parallel with the entrance, perpendicular and diagonally. I removed bees from a squirrel house where they had run the combs perpendicular to the front entrance. I don't know how they decide to do it.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I can not recall ever seeing a comb that was parallel to the opening on either a gum, birdhouse, or building. They are usually arranged so that you can see between the combs from the opening. It probably gives them better traffic and air flow through the hive.

[Ross]

I was going to say the opposite . Actually, thinking about my cutout, I have seen both. Stud bays usually have comb running on long diagonals no matter what the entrance. Joist bays will usually have the comb open on the end, running back into the bay.

[Hobie]

This one was diagonal, sort of. The entrance was in the center of the opened area, and the comb curves forward. Comb to the right was nearly parallal with the outer wall.

[Ross]

http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/cutout1.jpg

[Hobie]

I can not recall ever seeing a comb that was parallel to the opening on either a gum, birdhouse, or building. They are usually arranged so that you can see between the combs from the opening. It probably gives them better traffic and air flow through the hive.

This makes me wonder... what about top bar hives?

[BULLSEYE BILL]

This makes me wonder... what about top bar hives?

The alignment is laid out for them on the bars unlike them being able to align it as they will.

I will take some pictures of gum openings and post them, I thought the original question was on the alignment in relation to the opening, not to the shape of the cavity.

Most combs I see in cavities seem to run at a diagonal from the opening, only occasionally do they align at true right angles to the walls either short or long ways.

[Michael Bush]

My observations agree with Bullseye. They usually run diagonal to the entrance. Not true "warm" or "cold" way.

[Moonshae]

I've only done one cutout, and the comb was at about a 45 degree angle to the opening, with the opening side pointing away from the opening.