Dead Drones

[papabear]

Every time i go look at the hive there is always dead drones around the front on the ground. I have never seen any flying around. I know i have alot because i had my teacher (30 yrs beek) look at the hive last week because i found a drone with messed up wings. He showed me how to check the drone cells for mites. it had very few mites, but lots of drone cells. We will treat later because he is trying to build up enough bees to do some splits for me. Why am i not seeing any drones around flying and why are they dieing?

[Michael Bush]

Do you have any worker cells?  I'm not sure what would be killing the drones other than the workers if there's a dearth, or the mites, which you checked for.

[papabear]

I'm not sure what a worker cell is. They are bringing in alot of pollen and honey. Could it be that the drones are mateing and makeing it back to die?

[Mici]

worker cells would be "normal" cells, drone cells are the big ones.

[papabear]

There is lots of worker cells

[Cindi]

As soon as the drones fecundate they die and fall directly to the ground, their apparatus is ripped out of their body, hence immediate death.  I doubt if they could fly away from the drone congregation area to find their own hive.  Poor things eh?  Best of the greater day.  cindi