Snow Drones!

BlueBee · November 30, 2011, 03:26:32 PM

Anybody else noticing snow drones this year? I found a number of drones out in the fresh snow today.

Finski, any snow drones in Finland?

Pretty sure these came out of my experimental Dadant/Jumbo like hives with top entrances shown in the photo below. My other hives have bottom entrances and they're snowed in so they can't be from them. I noticed some bees milling around the entrances of these hives today. Obviously they're not in cluster. These hives are insulated on all 6 sides with 2" thick polystyrene foam.

Scadsobees · November 30, 2011, 03:52:00 PM

I found one once in the snow on a snow covered yet warm sunny day in February.

BlueBee · November 30, 2011, 03:54:46 PM

Maybe we can start breeding Northern Queens all year round :-D

T Beek · November 30, 2011, 04:24:20 PM

I've seen them in the past and just figured they'd been dead awhile and the undertakers were just getting to them :-\ but don't really know for sure.

This year my Long Hive colony was still actively kicking drones out in October though, a month after my two Langs were done.

thomas

Scadsobees · November 30, 2011, 04:28:03 PM

Quote from: BlueBee on November 30, 2011, 03:54:46 PM
Maybe we can start breeding Northern Queens all year round :-D

That won't work - it is too cold in the winter...it's too small to make a connection :evil:

I hadn't thought of the undertaker connection, but during the winter I don't usually see them cleaning the hive - they're too focused on cleaning out themselves! :)

T Beek · November 30, 2011, 04:38:48 PM

I've caught my bees in mid-winter on a sunny, calm day w/ temps in 30's hauling dead out. Usually just dropping them a few feet or less and a quick return, but I've seen them haul-ass with a dead sister (or bro? )and head out over the bog to who knows where as well. Doubtful they all make it back.

Dead bees and "yellow polka-dotted" snow tell us Northern Beeks that we still have bees.

To see "Some" in the snow is good sign IMO.

thomas

BlueBee · November 30, 2011, 04:44:50 PM

Good one Scads! That cold is a bummer :)

I hadn't thought of the undertaker connection either, but if you look at the photo closely, you'll see these bees have a full head of hair. I would bet they are fairly young bees. The dead bees on the bottom board usually don't look so fresh, at least mine don't!

It might be something with all my foam. I checked my super foam nucs in late October and found NO drones. However my full sized hives were just boiling over with bees so I decided just to let them be. Bunch of them got me through the jeans when I stole their honey, even with lots of smoke :( I think they remember me :-D

BlueBee · November 30, 2011, 04:57:54 PM

OK, folks I have a definitive answer on rather my snow drones are fresh drones or long ago dead drones removed by the undertakers.

After I took the photo above, I brought these two bees (a worker and drone) inside the house to check them out under a magnifying glass in the basement. So, LOL, I just went down to check on them again and the snow worker bee is flying around in the basement! The Drone isn't flying yet, but he's moving around. Bees are funny creatures.

T Beek · November 30, 2011, 05:05:10 PM

8-)

Vance G · November 30, 2011, 05:10:07 PM

I found a handfull of drones accidentally when a bottom board came off long after most had been shown the door. I have been told it is normal in some populations for a few drones to be tolerated. I suspect the drone was one of those golden chosen who went out to fly and got too cool to make it back in.

BlueBee · November 30, 2011, 05:39:28 PM

OK, folks, the Drone has been resurrected! Here's a photo I just took in the basement. It's alive and holding onto my finger. This drone looked as dead as a doornail out in the snow. He's got a beautiful fur coat doesn't he.

T Beek · November 30, 2011, 06:05:02 PM

Nice pics all 8-) I wonder if they keep a few drones around 'just in case' Not sure what the 'just in case' would entail, but they 'have' been around a long while and seem to know what they're doing. I've woke snow bound workers just by keeping them in my hand for a few minutes, then gently shove them back inside if they seem ok.

Or,,,,, maybe some drones hide among the girls better than their brothers did:-D

From now on when I see drones on the snow I'll be taking a closer look see.

thomas

Trot · November 30, 2011, 06:23:03 PM

I have been telling about drones being kept in healthy hives year round. I have them year round for years and if I see bees chasing some out in the fall I get a bit worried that something is perhaps not right is not like it should be..?
Nice to see that others too are starting to keep their eyes open and that they are getting more attuned with their bees.
Keep at it. . .

Regards,
Trot

AllenF · November 30, 2011, 07:50:30 PM

Keep that drone and see how long he can last. A stingless pet bee. Train him to potty outside. Give him plenty of honey and water. It will give you something to do this winter. Then you can put him out to stud in the spring. :-D

AliciaH · November 30, 2011, 08:40:24 PM

One of the things I learned at the WSU Field Day this summer was that if a hive is healthy enough, robust enough, and has enough stores, they will keep some of their drones during the winter. So, it's a good sign for your hive that you have them!

Funny about your bees resurrecting themselves! I had a cousin do that once with a hornets' nest that he thought was dead. Took it into the basement. Things didn't work out so well for him!

tandemrx · November 30, 2011, 11:13:50 PM

I was pretty surprised last week when I was wrapping my hives with insulation for the winter that there were still a drone or two wandering around by the entrance when I disturbed the hive. We haven't had snow yet (or not more than a flake or two), but we have had some pretty cold weather, so I figured I wouldn't see a drone till mid-spring.

salvo · December 01, 2011, 12:03:07 AM

Hi Folks,

First year beek here, in Massachusetts. Second warmest November on record. High temp 55 today. As high as 70 just a few days ago. Lots of bee activity. Both of my hives have had plenty of drones all along. Still lots of drones in the mix, but the ladies have been persistent for the past few weeks to evict the gents. I don't know why, but I didn't even think the hive would evict ALL the drones, just almost all the drones.

An experienced Beek told my club two weeks ago that if you do insulate, only insulate three sides. Not the side with the entrance. That entrance wall will stay cooler than the other three, letting the bees know that it's cold out there. He advised that should you insulate all sides the bees will feel that it is warmer outside than it actually is, and they will shoot out the entrance into a temperature that is too cold for them. They'll chill fast and never make it back to the hive.

It sounds good, so I insulated only three sides,...minimally,...little more than a windbreak. This Olde Beek said "Cold won't kill bees in a hive,...condensation and starvation will! (along with varroa)"! The warmer it stays, the longer the bees are active, the more stores they go through. Apparently, cold bees in cluster don't eat as much as bees flying around with nothing to do. Beeks around here are worried about stores lasting through February.

Salvo

T Beek · December 01, 2011, 08:44:59 AM

I'm one that agrees with your beek friend. If you must insulate leave side w/ entrance un-insulated for exactly the reasons explained.

I can hear the can of worms opening already :-D

thomas

Tommyt · December 01, 2011, 10:55:58 AM

Quote from: AllenF on November 30, 2011, 07:50:30 PM
Keep that drone and see how long he can last. A stingless pet bee. Train him to potty outside. Give him plenty of honey and water. It will give you something to do this winter. Then you can put him out to stud in the spring. :-D

I agree buy a piece of astro turf and let him use it as a potty
maybe this would do it :-D

sterling · December 01, 2011, 07:21:02 PM

Quote from: AliciaH on November 30, 2011, 08:40:24 PM
One of the things I learned at the WSU Field Day this summer was that if a hive is healthy enough, robust enough, and has enough stores, they will keep some of their drones during the winter. So, it's a good sign for your hive that you have them!

Funny about your bees resurrecting themselves! I had a cousin do that once with a hornets' nest that he thought was dead. Took it into the basement. Things didn't work out so well for him!

I used to work with a guy who took a hornets nest to his one room school house in the winter once. :evil: Everbody was impressed till the wood stove warmed the place up. :-D

Snow Drones!

salvo