These red ants killed the bees and the colony fled the hive.

[BumbbleBee]

I noticed these giant red ants killing some of the bees on the outer surface of my hive on Friday, April 03, 2015. I was a bit busy and couldn't take measure to keep more of them coming to the hive.

When I visited the place a week later, on Friday, April 10, 2015, the colony had absconded. Queen's gate was open in the shape of a wedge, since the nailing to place gate faulty.



I preserved one comb which looks to have been built straight.



But, the problem is, the comb is built on one side of the frame, not at the center.



There are some capped eggs. Should I do anything to that? It's been over a week. The bees, if came out, could have starved to death by now.

1. What should I do if they died inside the cells (before they came out)?
2. Can I cut the comb and re-align it to the frame with the support of a banana thread?

[OldMech]

If you put that comb in another hive the bees will clean it out, and You can cut the comb free and use rubber bands (bannana thread?) to center it, and the bees will re attach it.

[GSF]

Bumbblebee

When you say banana thread, is this a home made thread made from a banana tree, leaf, or peeling? If so, could you explain how to make this thread? Around here we have yucca plants, bear grass, and the such of the same family. They have small stems that runs through the long leaf or what ever you call it. You can take 3 or 4 of those stems, twist them together and you have a pretty strong string.

[BumbbleBee]

If you put that comb in another hive the bees will clean it out, and You can cut the comb free and use rubber bands (bannana thread?) to center it, and the bees will re attach it.

OK, that's great.

Thank you.

Bumbblebee

When you say banana thread, is this a home made thread made from a banana tree, leaf, or peeling? If so, could you explain how to make this thread? Around here we have yucca plants, bear grass, and the such of the same family. They have small stems that runs through the long leaf or what ever you call it. You can take 3 or 4 of those stems, twist them together and you have a pretty strong string.

Yes, it's made from the peel of banana tree. It can be shredded when it's fresh, and then dried, preferably in shade.



You don't have to twist it to make uniform. You can simply use thin line of it as a support for the comb. Once the bees seal the edges of the comb, and once it's strong enough, they remove the thread themselves. You won't have to remove like rubber bands.

If you use it to prevent the wax foundation from falling apart, they remove it only when the comb is built over the foundation, and the thread seems like a nuisance. They ignore it till then.

Just amazing.

[GSF]

Man, that's awesome. I love stuff like that.

[OldMech]

So you know, the bees will drag the rubber bands out of the hive on their own as well. probably not as soon though.