Do you get drones in colonies under 1 year old?

[oxnatbees]

I notice that the two casts I hived this year have no drones, whilst the mature colonies have plenty.

Furthermore, one is actively beating up and ejecting drones who arrive and try to get in. (It's next to 2 large mature colonies whose drones launch themselves off every afternoon and return more or less home.)

I suspect this colony KNOWS they have not made any drones and are focused on establishing comb, stores etc this year and don't want to waste resources on helping others' drones.

I was wondering - is it normal that swarms don't raise drones in their first year? Maybe it's just casts? I know they sometimes become drone laying colonies if the queen doesn't mate, but I'm wondering if it is part if their programmed life cycle when all else is normal. Year one: establish. Years two and beyond: propagate genes.

I should mention these are swarms caught in May and left to build up as they wish, no feeding was needed, and it may be that colonies more heavily managed and given stimulative feeding might develop differently. They are not on foundation and could build drone comb if they wished. The bees are of local stock, which my wing morphology checks a few years ago indicated is a mash-up of Amm, Italian and Buckfast.

 

[oliver90owner]

What is ‘normal’? Small, weak colonies do not make drones - simply because they have their attention on survival.

 

[oxnatbees]

One of the casts is very vigorous and is now a large colony. No drones.

 

[oliver90owner]

Some are reporting that drones are already being ejected by some colonies. They don’t eject drones and still have drone brood, do they? Amount of forage is an important factor to consider, but nothing to do with the age of the colony. A nuc is a small colony and many are taken through the winter. Some of those may not yet be a year old?

 

[oxnatbees]

I do not understand what you are trying to convey.

"Some are reporting that drones are already being ejected by some colonies."
Not sure how that is relevant. If it helps answer the question - these 2 colonies never raised drones since hiving earlier this year; they are next to 2 other colonies which have lots of drones.

"They don’t eject drones and still have drone brood, do they?"
is this a question or a statement? I have seen drones ejected in cold Springs whilst a colony was still raising drone brood (presumably the strategy is "they are useles snow but we will need them in 1-2 weeks"), so the answer, strictly speaking is YES

"Amount of forage is an important factor to consider"
OK, not sure how why you mention it, but they are bringing in loads of pollen - there is loads of forage

"but nothing to do with the age of the colony. A nuc is a small colony and many are taken through the winter. Some of those may not yet be a year old?"

As stated in the original post it is not a nuc, it is a swarm (cast) hived this year. Also implied by the subject line of the question. It is, therefore, less than a year old.

It is pretty clear no one here can answer the straightforward question in the subject line.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It is pretty clear no one here can answer the straightforward question in the subject line.

In my experience you do. All the swarms I have ever caught before the end of May have drones by now. Then the age of a colony is open to interpretation. Is a May swarm or a nuc with a new queen a year old next May? Or would you be better describing it as in its first year till next season when it is its second?

 

[drex]

Age is not the determining factor. A colony will only produce drones once it is strong enough to do so. A swarm a few months old can produce drones provided it has built up well and hence is securely established. On the other hand a dwindling colony produces few.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In my experience you do. All the swarms I have ever caught before the end of May have drones by now. Then the age of a colony is open to interpretation. Is a May swarm or a nuc with a new queen a year old next May? Or would you be better describing it as in its first year till next season when it is its second?

Same here - had swarms that have quickly produced drones and others who don't feel the need it seems.

 

[oxnatbees]

Brill, that is what I wanted to know (it is possible and it is strength related). Thank you.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I have one colony that has hundereds of drone even in mid winter, it has been like that for the last five years, it is on a flat green sedum roof of a university and is in a heat trap as suuround by glass windows on three sides, well insulated 14x12 poly box and normally well stocked with stores