Renter: Cavities above ground. The species usually builds its nests in suitable sheltered niches, including cavities in walls, in attics, rot holes in trees and of course in hives. Where such sites are unavailable swarms are forced to construct nests in the open, the combs being suspended for example from branches or the guttering beneath roofs. Such exposed nests rarely survive for long in Britain, soon succombing to inclement weather conditions.