Drones

[hiveabee]

Today,lots of workers bringing in pollen, but noticed drones dead on the ground in front of the hive and the odd one flying around. Is this normal for the 1st of March?

 

[oliver90owner]

Not 'normal' but may not be 'rare'. Might even be a sign of an impending problem.

 

[gavin]

Might even be a sign of an impending problem.

Global warming?

 

[rae]

Dead drones is fine. Our have been doing serious housekeeping on warm days, and we have piles of expired bees outside the hives. Some are drones.

Flying drones is more of a worry. As a suggestion, put at board under the hive and look at the debris after a week. If it is lots of drone caps (bigger chunks of wax) then you have a problem - you've got emerging drones, so a drone laying queen. If it is the usual small hive debris, then you are probably fine.

If you suspect a DLQ, it is worth opening up and having a look on a warm day. If all (or much) of the brood is drone, kill her maj and merge them with another colony if there are still enough workers to make it useful. If most of the bees are drones, then don't merge as it won't help the other colony.

 

[hiveabee]

Thanks you for that. I will put the inspection board under the hive in the morning. The bees seemed very content today bringing in the pollen,as I was watching them and thinking everything has gone ok for my first year, then I noticed the drones. Ahh well if its not right I wont give up.

 

[beebreeder]

plenty of pollen going in is always a good sign at this time of year, if your colony superceded very late then it may have had some drones left that never got kicked out until now.

 

[hiveabee]

today is the first good warm day since I posted this, and at lunch time I had a look. Lots of bees around the hive bringing in pollen and visiting the water source. I didnt see any drones. The bees seemed happy and didnt seem bothered that I was stood near the hive. Does this now sound ok?

 

[winmag270]

until you open up and actually see what the brood pattern looks like, it's not really possible to say.....

 

[the naked beekeeper]

today is the first good warm day since I posted this, and at lunch time I had a look. Lots of bees around the hive bringing in pollen and visiting the water source. I didnt see any drones. The bees seemed happy and didnt seem bothered that I was stood near the hive. Does this now sound ok?

Unfortunately bringing in pollen is a good sign, but no indicator of a viable queen.
Bees stay loyal to a DLQ.

The same with temper. A colony with a DLQ won't be a tell tale feisty hissy hive as a queenless one would.

The only sure way to know is to look at the brood, but since you only have 1 colony there is little you can do if she is a DLQ.

When did you get your bees?

I had some nucs going into winter with a viable queen but have come out with DLQ.

I hope yours aren't the same way.

 

[Midland Beek]

DLQ = stunted drones.

 

[Hivemaker.]

DLQ = stunted drones.

Not if the eggs are layed in drone cells.

 

[hiveabee]

Hi, I got the bees early in June last year. Obviously I didnt take any honey from them but they did really well and I was advised to go brood and a half. This I did and the bees went into winter with lots of stores etc. Thank for your advise. Would the bees be taking in pollen and be gentle if the hive was queenless