Is it normal for a very small number of drones to overwinter? Do any drones overwintering means possible queen problems?
I was scraping dead bees away from a hive entrance and out walked a drone. I'm in Minnesota and I don't think there's anyway that was a new drone reared for spring, especially considering the small amount of stores they had left. When I gave them a few frames of honey I figured I see real proplems, but I just saw one other drone and everything else seamed good. I don't know what they were doing there, just extra mouths to feed.
One drone is no biggie. He may have dropped in for a visit from another hive.
Take him to pub where all the unmated queens hang out for happy hour. He will be grateful.
Sincerely,
Brendhan
>Is it normal for a very small number of drones to overwinter? Do any drones overwintering means possible queen problems?
My ferals always overwinter a few. This time of year a booming hive might even raise a few. A lot of drones in a hive is suspicious and not throwing MOST of them out in the fall is suspicious. But a few would not worry me.
saw first drone just yesterday, a fresh one :-D