Hmmm .... significant numbers of drones on October 22nd

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There's an easy way to find out

Nah, why bother. It's very cold for an inspection, and if it's a DLQ/DLW, I wouldn't do anything and would just let them dwindle. If they start being robbed of course I will do something.

Heh, someone might have a queen needing to get mated around here, who knows!
 
Last weekend I found I've still got drones in all hives, I thought due to the good weather and plentiful ivy pollen and nectar. I know they had drone brood in September - seemed vlate, but they were q+ and thriving on the nice weather and flow.
 
Inspect them on the next given day when they are active and take it from there.

Never inspect without a plan of action CGF :). By inspecting you are risking killing the queen for no reason if they are queenright, so you'd want to have thought through options in advance I'm sure.

So, let's say you found lots of bees and stores, no immediately visible queen, and just some drone brood. What would you do?
 
I know your saying its late but I was transferring a few colonys into nucs yesterday.
I think I would rather know what's happening rather than let them dwindle if that be the case.
Just inspect them at the next opportunity, what’s the issue. I’ve still got hives/Nucs with drones in.
 
Never inspect without a plan of action CGF :). By inspecting you are risking killing the queen for no reason if they are queenright, so you'd want to have thought through options in advance I'm sure.

So, let's say you found lots of bees and stores, no immediately visible queen, and just some drone brood. What would you do?
What is the status of the colony that would define what I would do.
Having a plan in place when you don't know whats going on inside the colony?

You have give me a scenario.
Lots of bees and some drone brood isn't much to go on.
Are there polished cells.??
This time of year colonys are smaller and queen's if present wouldn't be hard to find.
 
It might not be a DLQ, SWMBO opened a hive up the other day to find 5 full frames of e/b and sealed drone brood below each frame. The recent warm weather and ivy flow have encouraged some of our colonies to increase brood at a time when we are removing most of the ekes and feeders.
 
Sigh .... I suspect this isn't great news .....


I'd leave them be .. I've seen drones on my landing boards this week (albeit down here in sunny Fareham and not the Wakefield Tundra). The reality is what are you going to do with whatever you find ,,, everything could be in order - you could have DLW or a DLQ ... but what can you do about it ... go hunting for a queen that may or not be there ... you are unlikely to have a test frame and there is little time left in the season - you might be able to buy in a mated queen but you will then have to install her and be sure there isn't a queen already present. You could shake them out ...

But - you have other colonies and you have to ask yourself - is the colony worth the effort ... if there are a predominance of drones present even a new queen may not save them - they will be old bees in the colony ,,,,

Like I said ... leave them be - they may dwindle and thereagain - they may surprise you !
 
I'd leave them be .. I've seen drones on my landing boards this week (albeit down here in sunny Fareham and not the Wakefield Tundra). The reality is what are you going to do with whatever you find ,,, everything could be in order - you could have DLW or a DLQ ... but what can you do about it ... go hunting for a queen that may or not be there ... you are unlikely to have a test frame and there is little time left in the season - you might be able to buy in a mated queen but you will then have to install her and be sure there isn't a queen already present. You could shake them out ...

But - you have other colonies and you have to ask yourself - is the colony worth the effort ... if there are a predominance of drones present even a new queen may not save them - they will be old bees in the colony ,,,,

Like I said ... leave them be - they may dwindle and thereagain - they may surprise you !

This is indeed the conclusion I have reached
 

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