> This can reliably be had in strong colonies in the 1st half of the season 
> if >one systematically culls drone cells in worker frames to below the 
> bees' >desired threshold.     * It's rare in ferals, where only the bees 
> control the >comb composition.  In ferals, drone cell clusters are 
> scattered around the >perifery of the broodnest.*

This is likely due to the fact that as the colony grows, in number and size, 
the desire for more drones does also, which may not be a truly linear event. 
In many cases they have the luxury of placing comb where they desire which 
of course is not a hive situation.

 Alden Marshall 

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