Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: HAB on September 15, 2009, 11:59:52 AM

Title: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: HAB on September 15, 2009, 11:59:52 AM
Seventeen of our twenty hives are busy kicking out the Drones.  The hives are resting on weed blocking ground cover and landscape timbers.  The cover must have several hundred dead and dieing Drones.  The worker Bees, mostly Russian crosses, just keep dragging them out and shoving them off the landing boards. If they try to come back the workers are all over them.  This is the first time I've ever seen so many hives doing it at one time. Tried to get some pictures but couldn't hold the camara steady enough to gt a clear picture.  Its quite a sight to see.  :)
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: vermmy35 on September 15, 2009, 04:28:11 PM
yeah mine are doing the same thing.  My wife said if she was as smart as the bees she would do the same thing :-D
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: Natalie on September 15, 2009, 08:39:00 PM
I inspected my hives last week and I could only find a couple of drones in each hive.
Our state inspector said that the bees starting kicking the drones out a month earlier than they usually do around here.
According to the weather forcasters that predict the weather by the bees actions they say this is going to be a hard winter.
There was a couple of other signs as well that they used, something to do with the amount of pollen they are also bringing in.
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: gardeningfireman on September 15, 2009, 08:42:51 PM
My workers are only kicking out a few drones at a time right now. They chew off a wing, wrestle them to the edge of the landing board, and kick them off to the waiting yellow jackets! As soon as the drone hits the ground, there are three or four yellow jackets pouncing on him!
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: PeeVee on September 15, 2009, 09:12:47 PM
I started seeing the drones being "punished" a couple days ago. Quite comical!



-Paul
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: vermmy35 on September 15, 2009, 09:37:35 PM
yeah it is comical.  I think the girls were actually aiming the boys for the spider web just bellow the hive stand.  Because they would push them all the way over to that one area and then push them off even if they could just kick them off on the other side.  I really think they are sadistic. :evil:
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: beecanbee on September 15, 2009, 09:45:12 PM
Poor poor drones - and in their youth at that, never having had the pleasure of a lady.  :)
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: annette on September 15, 2009, 11:56:03 PM
They sat around long enough doing nothing but eat, time to go I say
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: luvin honey on September 16, 2009, 01:28:44 AM
Is there anything more humorous in beekeeping than a conversation on drones? :)

Mine are getting kicked out of 1 of 3 hives. It's the hive that appears to have a LOT of them, too.

Can't help but feel sorry for those chubby, hairy, lazy guys...
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: gardeningfireman on September 16, 2009, 08:28:48 AM
I swear I saw a worker throw a tiny remote and beer cans out after the drone! :-D
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: luvin honey on September 16, 2009, 11:37:31 AM
Laughing out loud :D

Still, it is so pathetic, watching them got forced out, kicking and screaming, not even a stinger in their fat bodies to fight back with...
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: sarafina on September 16, 2009, 03:46:56 PM
beer cans and a remote!  ok, that made me laugh.

poor drones.......  I can't help but feel sorry for them!
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: beecanbee on September 16, 2009, 08:55:04 PM
At least they ought to be able to take the flat screen with them.... :)
Title: Re: Kicking out the Drones
Post by: luvin honey on September 17, 2009, 01:26:26 AM
Hah! I've been calling them observation windows, but maybe to the drones they are enormous flat screen TVs that usually have brown, wood-colored static but occasionally pop open to reveal an amazing show! (with my huge face peering in  :roll:)