> >I would think perhaps safest to remove until needing drones for mating?
> Probably some experimenting necessary.


In Calif, we mate queens right after almonds, as soon as the first drones
are mature.  So the first round is the most important for either mating, or
removal from the drone pool. However, since I only breed from colonies that
maintain low mite levels, leaving the drone brood in my drone mother
colonies does not appear to be a problem.

Randy Oliver

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