Drones and orientation

[Cindi]

Now I have a couple of questions:

1)  Do the drones perform orientation flights, as the workers and queens do, to remember the location of their hives.

2)  When the drone returns to its apiary, if it has not mated with a queen, and enters into a different colony than where it originated, are they welcomed in the hive by the guards the same as a returning forager that has nectar?

I have seen many drones on the landing board, but I have not seen any in flight, I think that they would be quite cumbersome.  Best of the best day.  Cindi

[Brian D. Bray]

>>1)  Do the drones perform orientation flights, as the workers and queens do, to remember the location of their hives.

Yes, they do but they are not hive specific.  Drones belong to the entire apiary not just a single hive.

>>2)  When the drone returns to its apiary, if it has not mated with a queen, and enters into a different colony than where it originated, are they welcomed in the hive by the guards the same as a returning forager that has nectar?

Drones are allowed free access to all hives.  It is a practice that allows out breeding between hives. 

[Cindi]

Brian, now that was interesting.  Drones are very lucky dudes (LOL).  They mostly are fed too by the workers, kind of a lazy lifestyle.  Too bad such brutal things happen to them, especially when they get kicked out of the hive in the fall.  Best of the day.  Cindi

[Understudy]

Drones die shortly after they mate. They aren't that lucky. They lose their virginity and then their life.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Brian D. Bray]

Yeah, but what a way to go!

[Mici]

Yeah, but what a way to go!

hehe, that's the price of a real exploding org****

by the way, why are they fed by workers?  had that drone and he ate some honey, now...i thought of their size, that they're to big to acces inside the honeycomb, but honeycomb is supposed to have larger cells so it isn't this..now..what is it?

[Cindi]

Mici, I don't know why they generally get fed, I believe that they do have the capacity to get food, but ordinarily are fed by the girls.  This was just one of the little pieces of trivia that I remember reading about, or maybe was told about by our instructor.  Not sure, but it was something that stuck in my mind because it was weird.  They are the lazy boys of the hive and it is probably easier to beg for food than to actually go and get it.  I have no fact to support this comment, just something dug up from the cobwebs of my mind.  Have a good day.  Cindi

[Brian D. Bray]

Occassional one will see a worker feeding a drone while working the hive.  I've also found the queen laying eggs on the frame I had just pulled from the hive--abdomen inserted into the comb.  It takes a steady hand on the frames and no jolting with the hive tool.