>Several of you have reported seeing matings of the virgin queen while she
is still leaving her apiary of origin (AoO).

I've witnessed quite a few in a large commercial mating yard on the flat
valley floor where many hundreds or thousands of queens may be mating on
any afternoon.  But I've yet to see one in my own hilly mating yards in all
my years.

On the flat ground, you can hear the sound of drones as a group moves
overhead.  At that time you can often watch a queen being chased by a comet
of drones--sometimes as low as head level (I watched one guy get hit on the
side of the head by a comet).

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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