Drones & DCA’s - “the nearer the better!”

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http://www.springerlink.com/content/k4503054483137v5/

“At 2 drone congregation areas (DCA) the relation between drone presence 
and distance to the apiary of origin was studied. Two methods were 
applied. First, drones were caught and marked on the DCA and later 
recovered in the colonies. Second, drones which were marked before at the 
apiary (in the colonies) were subsequently recaptured on both DCAs. The 2 
methods led to identical conclusions. Consistently in each of 3 years the 
majority of the drones from each of the 3 apiaries was found at the nearer 
DCA.  There was, however, no direct correlation between the flight 
distances and the ratio of drones visiting from each apiary.”
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Let me start by saying “perhaps”,,,,  :)

With drone mating flights taking 20-30 minutes, and an average of 2-4 
flights per day.  It would make sense that a drone would want to visit 
only a few nearby DCAs, and choosing closer DCA’s to conserve energy and 
increase the length of time spent in the chosen DCA.  While queens tending 
to fly directly to the DCA, mating on average 1.25 miles away perhaps to 
reduce the risk.   

This is relatively a small area in which the drones and queens are 
choosing to mate.  With DCAs tending to form at intersections of linear 
land features such as the a row of trees and a stream etc., and queens 
mating at an average of 1.25 miles from the nest,  while drones tending to 
choose the nearest DCA‘s.  The implications for woodland feral breeding  
separation from domestic colonies in the farm lands cannot be discounted.

Woodland feral drones perhaps choosing DCA’s related to the nearby linear 
land features such as where ridgelines meet, and drones in the lowlands 
which tend to be domestic beekeeping areas choosing DCA’s related to 
nearby linear land features found in the lowlands.  Considering this, you 
could potentially have a relatively decent degree of separation between 
woodland feral matings and domestic honeybees in an area of forest 
relatively small in size.  Perhaps, the so called  total “isolation” is 
really not needed. 

Best Wishes,
Joe
feralbeeproject.com   

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