Do drones collect pollen?

ziffabeek · October 19, 2009, 01:36:48 PM

Hello again!

My hive has been going along ok this fall. I've fed them up and they seemed to be doing ok. Good population and all. Did a mite board and didn't see very many of anythings that looked like they could be mites.

Friday the weather here turned really cold (it had been raining a bunch, then we got 1 semi-sunny day, and then the temp dropped) I put my entrance reducer on and removed my empty feeding super before it go really cold. Blocked the bottom cinderblocks from wind etc. and felt pretty good about them being buttoned up for the cold and cloudy Saturday.

On Sunday the morning dawned clear and cold and I saw my bees flying in the sun. I went to check the hive in the afternoon. There were several (like maybe 15 - 20) dead and dieing bees in front of the hive. More than I'd ever seen. I thought, oh they're finally kicking the drones out. Then I noticed that several of the bees had full bread baskets. Those wouldn't be drones would they? All of the dieing bees look lethargic, like they were cold and couldn't move. I tried placing some of the ones with full pollen baskets on the landing board. One seemed to perk up and went inside, the others just lay there. Other bees, with and without pollen have been flyiing in and out this whole time just like normal.

Are the dead pollen carriers drones? Do you think the workers got too cold, even though it was sunny? Is there anything I can do besides watch and wait?

Thanks,
ziffa

Kathyp · October 19, 2009, 01:41:22 PM

not drones.

probably workers just worn out by carrying heavy loads. a few dozen dead bees are no big thing. if you find them dying around your hive in the 100's, you might have a problem.

ziffabeek · October 19, 2009, 01:54:24 PM

Thanks Kathy! That's a relief. It was just weird because i've really never seen more than 2-3 before.

I was happy to see they are still getting pollen though. Sure hope they stay warm through the winter.

Thanks again for your answer, I appreciate it!

ziffa

Scadsobees · October 19, 2009, 02:18:03 PM

Bees are like people...the males are worthless and the females do all the work :evil:

Drones wouldn't be caught dead carrying food inside.... :roll:

Rick

jclark96 · October 19, 2009, 06:48:08 PM

Yeah, drones only do two things, one of them is eat.

Bee-Bop · October 19, 2009, 07:20:28 PM

Quote from: jclark96 on October 19, 2009, 06:48:08 PM
Yeah, drones only do two things, one of them is eat.

The other thing that 99.99 % of Drones do is just dream !!

Bee-Bop

Rodni73 · October 19, 2009, 10:16:12 PM

Not my bees... During the summer I've seen drones.. smoking pollen, snorting it, and injecting it. A bunch of guys moaping around the entrance.. My wife once offered a drop of pale Ale and I swear they sampled it!

Any way.. what a sad sight to see all these guys dead in front of the hive now... frozen to death.... just inches away from the warmth and the food!

HONEY HONEY EVERY WHERE AND NOT A DROP TO DRINK.

-THE ANCIENT DRONE

David LaFerney · October 19, 2009, 10:25:16 PM

I've noticed the same thing especially early in the morning - I've had the same weather you have. I've seen pollen foragers that are coming in with heavy loads approach too low and light below the hive. Some of them rest for a few minutes and get up enough steam to fly up. I suspect that when it cools off in the evening their cold blooded metabolisms just can't lift the load.