Drones

Suncat · April 07, 2014, 12:45:59 AM

I was having a quick look at my hives today, just an external look to see that all is ok, (I am planning to rob honey tomorrow) and to check on the SHB traps that I have under the screened bottom boards. It was about 12:30, and I noticed quite a number of larger bees (10-15), I can only assume these are drones as they were nearly twice the size of the workers, and made a very different sound when flying.

I cant be 100% sure, but it appeared like they would fly into 1 hive, spend 10-20 seconds in there and then fly out and visit one of the other 3 hives that I have. The workers did not seem to be worried about them, and continued about their jobs.

Is this normal?

Here in SE Qld we have had recent rains and the bees seem to be busy, returning with pollen (and i assume nectar, little harder to see that :) )

Thanks for any assistance that you can give.

BeeMaster2 · April 07, 2014, 12:57:32 PM

Sounds like drones to me. They can go in any hive that thinks it is strong enough. In another month or so, I would bet they will be hard to find in your area. The bees kick them out in preps for winter. Look at their eyes. They are bigger and the touch together. By the way they do not have stingers. If they just came out of the hive they are good to eat. They taste like honey butter.
Jim

Spear · April 07, 2014, 01:29:38 PM

Ok... I've never thought of eating a drone... but I think I finally understand why my mothers dogs are so keen on catching and eating our bees... LOL

BeeMaster2 · April 07, 2014, 11:18:30 PM

I used to just put them in my mouth when I had a bunch of kids watching us remove bees from a house. I would open my mouth and show it was on my tongue. Then spit them out. Then one day while helping a friend show a new beek the ropes, I did it and then spit it out. A few minutes later he says, tastes like butter. I looked at him and said what tastes like butter. He repeated it and then after we looked at him strangely, he says" You didn't eat it?". I had to try it and he was right. If you get one on the way back into the hive they are dry and tasteless. When they are ready to leave, they have a full belly of honey.
Try it, you will like it. :-D
Jim

Spear · April 08, 2014, 05:19:30 PM

Maybe next time I go through my hives I'll catch a few drones and cover them in chocolate and sell them with the honey... who knows people might just love them and I could start raising drones to keep up with demand! LOL

Suncat · July 22, 2014, 07:11:40 AM

I haven't tried them dipped in chocolate yet, but it does sound tempting :-D, but the drones are still around. I was down watching the hives about 11:30 today, and again there are about 8-10 drones around, flying into one hive then out and into another seeming at random.

Must mean that the hives are doing ok that the girls haven't done away with these intruders.

I will open the hives up over the weekend to see how they are going, because there was as much activity in and out of the entrances as I have seen on any other day in the past 12 months, but this is SE Queensland, perfect one day - better the next :-)

kalium · July 22, 2014, 09:45:42 PM

Sounds like you're in a good spot. I'm actually thinking of taking some hives out to your neck of the woods next winter, just on the edge
of the Birnam range (I have a friend out there with property).

The hive I have out in the Lockyer Valley are only collecting nectar, no pollen has been coming in since June or so, and the queen
has really slowed down accordingly.

My other small hive though that I brought into Brisbane, are absolutely 'booming' (well, as much as a 5 frame nuc can).
I've noticed a lot of tallow wood flowering in close proximity, and I'm sure there are other things beyond that they are getting
into.