December Drones

[RogueDrone]

Just carried out a quick floor change on one of my hives and amongst the hand full of beest on the old floor were several Drone thought they would have been long gone by now.

 

[enrico]

They apparently are gone now!!!

 

[Heather]

Some chaps will never take the hint!!

 

[Norfolk]

Guys

I think we should keep this whole thing about evicting males once they are deemed to be un-needed by the female of the species under wraps.
Who knows what crazy ideas they may get in their heads if the find out.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Just carried out a quick floor change on one of my hives and amongst the hand full of beest on the old floor were several Drone thought they would have been long gone by now.

Nothing you can do now, except monitor

There are several scenarios including

1. last of the normal drones culled by workers as you had lots of stores to support them
2. you have a few workers laying the odd unfertilized egg and these eggs have not removed by other workers
3.the queen is missfireing having just come back into lay
4. you have full blown laying workers and no queen
5. You have a drone laying queen

 

[Heather]

Have we got news for you... we girls already know... only kept you for map reading/navigation, but now got satnav

 

[Finman]

.
Not a good sign. It tells about virgin queen in the hive. Superceded or going to superceded.

It is not long way to spring any more. Then you open the hive and you look, does the queen produce worker brood or drone brood.

After 2 months the hive makes again brood.
Then you open the hive and and you will see
- no brood, - no laying queen /or queen at all
- drone brood . kill the queen and join the hive
- worker brood only , - drones = false alarm


.

 

[Arfermo]

Just carried out a quick floor change on one of my hives and amongst the hand full of beest on the old floor were several Drone thought they would have been long gone by now.

Better late than never?

 

[RogueDrone]

I was not to worried this morning but comming back here, may carry out quick inspection tomorow to get full story. let you know.

 

[Cazza]

I was not to worried this morning but comming back here, may carry out quick inspection tomorow to get full story. let you know.

I can't see what the point of opening them up and looking would be?(Other than satisfying your own curiosity.) There is nothing you can do if all is not well and if things are fine, then you are messing them about for nothing.

Better to sit on your hands and wait.

Cazza

 

[Swarm]

 

[REDWOOD]

+1

 

[thebhoy]

hmnn.....I still have drones in one of my hives......it is a biggish colony on a double 14 x 12 bb, and active bees during mild weather....8 degrees and they are out bringing in pollen.
I have a hive next to it with a queen I raised off this hives queen and they are also out collecting pollen and quite active at 8 degrees but no drones.
I have another one that is all 'closed' down for the winter and not active....just the odd one or two by comparison and no drones.

I was thinking the bigger hive having more stores and more bees was more accommodating :O

 

[Finman]

I was thinking the bigger hive having more stores and more bees was more accommodating :O

It depends on queens + its drone semen genetics, how a colony reacts on autumn and on wintering.

I we have here hives, which has brood up to December, they will be dead in these days. That is why we have not winter layers. Some hives have drones over winter, but more often it is a bad sign.
Just now temps are here -10C and in north -20C and we have permanent snow in most parts of the country.
Many low pressures are moving around and temps changes daily.

 

[oliver90owner]

Cazza,

You can't see the point - because there is no point!

You are spot on. Likely just 'yet another lesson on how to kill your colony in winter'.

RAB

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I was not to worried this morning but comming back here, may carry out quick inspection tomorow to get full story. let you know.

leave them alone now - not unknown for some colonies to keep their drones throughout the winter. If the queen is a drone layer there is nothing on earth you can do apart from wait until spring and sort them then - so what's the point in opening up and chilling what may be a perfectly healthy colony?

 

[Finman]

so what's the point in opening up and chilling what may be a perfectly healthy colony?

Hive goes over winter normal way even without the queen.

That is true. You cannot dop anything. Wait 2-3 months and then look what is there.

Most of all, let the hives be in peace.
- don't measure temp
- don't know the hive, are you alive
- don-t brush dead bees from bottom
- don't feed them

Bees will be disturbed easily and they prepare themselves ready to fight.
Walkin around the hive is enough to disturbe them.

 

[Alibees]

I had a solitary drone this morning, girls are bringing in plenty pollen. I'm with Cazza on this one. Leave them till spring and we'll see, we can comment with some authority then.