Finding a DCA

[SixFooter]

Has anyone had a go at this?
I have read about using a net impregnated with Queen pheromone attached to a helium balloon and I saw a utube clip Fishing for drones or something like that.
But, to actually locate the DCA, Is it just a case of walking around randomly on a sunny day holding a balloon on a very long string?

 

[MuswellMetro]

Never found a drone congregational Area ( for those that dont know what DCA means LOL)

i have look up, while walking my dog ,searching for drones in the air at 25m and all I did was walk into an electric fence that was not there the day before

 

[mbc]

I think they're a bit of a myth, not that they dont happen, its just that they are nothing out of the ordinary, its quite easy to create them, just move lots of colonies strong in drones to an area and walk the hedges on a warm summer afternoon and the DCA will announce itself by the hum, or drone of the drones, and those with sharp eyes may be able to see the clouds of drones milling about above them.

 

[beeno]

I think they're a bit of a myth, not that they dont happen, its just that they are nothing out of the ordinary, its quite easy to create them, just move lots of colonies strong in drones to an area and walk the hedges on a warm summer afternoon and the DCA will announce itself by the hum, or drone of the drones, and those with sharp eyes may be able to see the clouds of drones milling about above them.

mbc, I buy that. However, I have just read a publication which states the virgin flies off on her own and had speakers confirm that and a very interesting youTube video where the workers bullied the virgin to fly off... on her own! What's your take on that vs AVM?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Doesn't present thinking have the Virgin queen escorted to a DCA by a retinue of bees who have a knowledge of the layout of the surrounding terrain...ie they are all previous foragers. They know where they are going while the queen doesn't.

 

[The Drone Ranger]

Strangely I remember reading somewhere about a study in US where they claimed the DCA's were in the same places for donkeys years

This might be the one but its Puerto Rico
http://www.insectscience.org/12.122/i1536-2442-12-122.pdf

 

[Hivemaker.]

A couple more links about Drone congregation areas.

http://www.beeculture.com/storycms/index.cfm?cat=Story&recordID=603


http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8491&highlight=dRONE+CONGREGATION+AREAS

 

[Cazza]

A couple more links about Drone congregation areas.

http://www.beeculture.com/storycms/index.cfm?cat=Story&recordID=603


http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8491&highlight=dRONE+CONGREGATION+AREAS

Thank you for the Beeculture article.
I had thought that the DCA was clustered over a landmark such as a tall tree/church tower but seemingly not.
Interesting to read how new colonies quickly find it.
Cazza

 

[Tom Bick]

Get hold of a virgin queen pop her in a cage fix to the end of a garden cane and go for a walk holding her up in the air to see what you can attract.

 

[alanf]

There is a natural occurance to be met with upon the highest part of our down on hot summer days, which always amuses me much, without giving me any satisfaction with respect to the cause of it; & that is a loud audible humming of bees in the air, tho’ not one insect is to be seen. This sound is to be heard distinctly the whole common through, from the Money-dells, to Mr White’s avenue-gate. Any person would suppose that a large swarm of bees was in motion, & playing about over his head

Gilbert White 1792.

Robert Paxton talked about a colleague using drone sampling with balloons, nets and pheromone at the NHS. The purpose was a little different in that he was genetically analysing the drones to estimate the density of colonies.

 

[Norton]

There are many listed in Beowulf Cooper's book.

 

[The Drone Ranger]

Get hold of a virgin queen pop her in a cage fix to the end of a garden cane and go for a walk holding her up in the air to see what you can attract.

Lol
It's going to be a long cane

Here's what the researchers claim

"At each potential DCA, a kite or a helium balloon was raised to 30-45 meters above ground, at a 200 m to 2 km distance from the reference apiary during the drone flight time (14:00 to 17:30). "

 

[pargyle]

Get hold of a virgin queen pop her in a cage fix to the end of a garden cane and go for a walk holding her up in the air to see what you can attract.

Men in white coats I would think !!

 

[Cazza]

Men in white coats I would think !!

Thank you Pargyle. I enjoyed that.
Cazza

 

[Norton]

Men in white coats I would think !!

Oh how virginal!

 

[farbee]

Get hold of a virgin queen pop her in a cage fix to the end of a garden cane and go for a walk holding her up in the air to see what you can attract.

You would certainly get known as the local nut case!

 

[Norton]

Probably even get men in white coats chasing after you.
"They are coming to take me away, hehe haha!"

 

[beeno]

A couple more links about Drone congregation areas.

http://www.beeculture.com/storycms/index.cfm?cat=Story&recordID=603


http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8491&highlight=dRONE+CONGREGATION+AREAS

Thanks Hivemaker needed to get my initial learning reinforced.

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
A quote from Clarence Collison's article initially submitted by Hivemaker.
"It is still unclear why drones choose particular areas in which to congregate and how queens locate these areas, although DCA’s and the mating behaviors of queens and drones have been extensively studied."
Is it really that complicated? With 239 beeks in my area I can imagine that the local drone population would happen upon one another as they fly around sussing out what would constitute a good DCA. After all that is their raison d'etre and a bit like finding the best pub in the area? Now, the queen is a follower and not a leader. The drones set off first and she follows begrudgingly. How does she know where to go. She follows the stragglers as they are large, noisy and smelly (not sure about the smelly) - simples.

 

[Tom Bick]

Men in white coats I would think !!

If you wear the white coat and a few pens in the top pocket people will think cleaver chap that.

Thinking about it there is probably some funding available.