My package hive that really seems to be booming seems to be making an awful lot of drones. Is this normal? Last time I did an inspection they had a good ammount of drone brood, but had a very healthy looking throughly laid brood pattern. Is this just a consequence of them doing well or should I be concerned? Neither of the hives I got from packages last year did nearly this well, they also starved to death this past winter; because the forage around here sucked and I didn't feed when I should have, so I have nothing to compare it too.
Quote from: wtiger on May 23, 2008, 06:28:35 PM
My package hive that really seems to be booming seems to be making an awful lot of drones. Is this normal? Last time I did an inspection they had a good ammount of drone brood, but had a very healthy looking throughly laid brood pattern. Is this just a consequence of them doing well or should I be concerned? Neither of the hives I got from packages last year did nearly this well, they also starved to death this past winter; because the forage around here sucked and I didn't feed when I should have, so I have nothing to compare it too.
This is swarm season, a large population of drones is expected then.
In the winter feed, if necessary, until the majority of the brood area is back filled and they start to build burr comb for storage--then they have enough stores.
>Is this normal?
Yes. As long as there is more worker brood than drone brood, it's normal.
Thanks for the reassurance. Yes there is a lot more worker brood than drone brood. I'd say about 10% of the brood is make up of drones. Primarily on 2 frames then cratteres around the hive. I inspected them today and both hives are drawing out their second medium nicely. One is about 20% drawn and the other is about 50% drawn. I figure about another week and this hive will need a third medium so long as the nectar holds out.
Between 10 and 20% drone comb is normal.