I was checking out the bees today and saw workers kicking out drones. I thought that didn't happen until fall or winter. This colony is getting back on it's feet from swarming and making a new queen.
Would this be the order of things with a new administration?
I would also be interested in the answer to this question.
So no one has a clue?
JC
I guess not. I thought maybe that the flow was slowing down and they would do this, but I have another hive and they are not doing this.
A clear cut case of domestic violence. You should have called the proper authorities
Two of our hives are given them the boot as well. Two workers draggin them out and throwing them off the porch.
One hive is a swarm capture and one came from a package.
Seems a bit early for this.
There are drones of varying extent all year. The hive mentality chooses how many to keep around and are constantly giving some the boot. They may be older drones, the flow might have slowed, you could have a virgin queen and drones are drifting in...any number of reasons.
Scott
I would have to wonder if it's because the colonies mentioned are trying to get established. Since drones are basically freeloaders maybe they're kicking them out because they're not set up enough to entertain guests.
I also have a few dozen drones crawling in front of an exploding swarm I caught this year, and already filling 4 supers! I thought I had lost the queen and had laying workers, but I watched as bees were still bringing in plenty of pollen. I believe nector is slowing down, so the workers (females) are sending the couch potatoe drones to the dog house- outside.
Several drones crawling about the bee yard could just mean you better expect a swarm tomorrow or in the very near future.
Are they flying around or actually getting forced out, trying to get back in, then forced out again? Last year, a lot of drones were in an out of their own accord right before the hive swarmed.
If they are getting forced out, I'm too new to know. I would wonder, though, if some hives sometimes end up with more drones than absolutely necessary, or if unexpected weather/foraging issues would lead them to pare down the reproductive ranks to free up some food for the brood...
They are being forced out.
When I have seen this behavior, and looked closely at the ejected brothers, I found they had mites. My bees, at times, seem to throw unhatched drones out the front door, and most of those I've examined had mites clinging to them.