empty hive

I blipped the tree this hive is in some weeks ago when Darrel had set up a contraption to smoke out the bees and re house them.
Probably just as well as for some reason the tree has been chopped down and all that remains is a pile of firewood and the remnants of the standing trunk.

No bees to avoid, so safe enough to take the photo but such a shame as the colony had probably established this hive many years ago and returned to it year in year out.
It is so beautiful and structurally strong and even after the trauma of the chainsaw, the combs are still hanging there amongst the gathering cobwebs and dust.

The swathes of honeycomb remind me of shawl flowstones in limestone caves that form folds and hang like drapes of cloth.