Hello All
 
When reading 'A Manual of Beekeeping' by E.B. Wedmore, I came across the
following paragraphs.
 
'176. Provided there are potent drones living in the colony from which the
mating flight takes place, there is a high probability (some say 95 in 100)
that the queen will mate with one of those drones. Never, therefore, let a
queen fly for mating from a colony having drones of undesirable parentage.
Either destroy all such drones and advanced drone brood before inserting a
queen cell, shaking in some recently emerged drones of desirable origin.
 
If this critical matter does not receive attention there is no knowing with
what kind of drone the queen will mate, but if it does receive attention,
the large majority of queens will be mated as desired. The method is more
sure than any attempt to flood your district with selected drones, unless
your location is exceptionally isolated from neighbouring apiaries and wild
stocks.'
 
The above appears to solve one of the greatest problems in beekeeping,
namely the hit and miss normally occurring with queen mating, except in
isolated areas.
 
I would however like to know where the above system stands with relation to
Drone Congregation Areas, where I understood (until now), all fertilisation
of queens takes place, and that outside these areas, the drones show little
if any interest in a queen. It would seem to me that no matter how many
drones left the mating hive with the queen, their presence would be diluted
to insignificance by the greater number of drones in the congregation area.
 
If the above system can be used, it would appear to rule out tiny mating
nucs since they most likely could not support the necessary drones.
 
I shall be most grateful to read comments from the members of the list.
 
Sincerely
 
Tom Barrett
49 South Park
Foxrock
Dublin 18
Ireland
 
Hobbyist beekeeper
 
e mail [log in to unmask]
Tel + 353 1 289 5269
Fax + 353 1 289 9940
 
Latitude  53 Degrees 16' North
Longitude  6 Degrees  9' West of Greenwich