Any Drones or Drone cells in the UK yet?

[Bee-Key-Pur]

I had a little look into some of my hives today and not a drone or cell in site here.
How is it across the rest of the country?

 

[Haughton Honey]

Local/AMM/Native colonies - plenty seen during the past few days in the north-west (Cheshire/north Shropshire)

Buckfast/Buckfast X - none whatsoever

 

[Insy]

Checked mine yesterday and i have the odd few drone cells and few play cups.

Let the games begin .

 

[domino]

I've got a lot in my hive about thirty or so atm.

 

[protheroe]

got a full frame in one of my hives

 

[enrico]

None in mine

 

[Stickyfingers]

Yes plenty in mine.

 

[drex]

Usual number in mine now

 

[itma]

Nice small patch in one.
Oddly, a line of them down one side of frame in another hive.
As of last weekend.

Haven't spotted any on the loose yet ...

 

[grizzly]

Small line on top of 3 frames, not many.

 

[Excession]

What is everyone's obsession with drones lately?

 

[coffin dodger]

About a dozen in one hive and none in the other when they were inspected today.

CD

 

[Loubylou]

what is considered a balanced amount of drone cells for this time of year?

 

[village girl]

Yes a few in mine lots of nice bias

 

[BeeNice]

First check of the year, BIAS in all but one, and that one has queen present (seen) but no eggs yet. Drones in all but small amount. Seems from the feeds that we have a north south divide as far a brood is concerned. I think drones should be encouraged this year to make sure that any queens out and about get well mated, especially after last year.

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

What is everyone's obsession with drones lately?

New queens can't mate if there are no drones about, so beekeepers won't start grafting to produce a few queens until their hives are also producing Drones..

 

[sipa]

Capped drone cells seen, none hatched yet !

 

[Suzi Q]

Yes lots, of capped drone brood and emerged, and 4/5 play cups.

 

[Excession]

New queens can't mate if there are no drones about, so beekeepers won't start grafting to produce a few queens until their hives are also producing Drones..

Ah! That makes perfect sense. Thankyou!

 

[richardbees]

Yes lots, of capped drone brood and emerged

Suzi , Thanks for keeping the drone population going for mating with my virgin Qs ..... as I've started to cull my sealed drone cells as part of V. control.
Richard