This is a photograph of beautiful honeycomb formed in the way that bees have always built it before managed hives were invented. Take a look at another of our photos of honeycomb on a constructed wooded frame to see the difference. In managed hives we provide the frames for the bees to enable them to maximise the amount of comb that can can be built and consequently the volume of honey that can be stored. The frames also give us the ability to remove combs once they become too old to be of any use.

The natural comb in this photo was built inside the lid of one of our hives that had become so full of honey that the bees extended their comb building into the only space that was left. We don’t often see this, and I am always struck by the beauty of its form. We wanted to share it with you.

Written by Andrew, photos by Shizu