JB>From: Janko Bozic <[log in to unmask]>
  >Date:         Mon, 7 Apr 1997 14:53:25 +0000
  >Subject:      Re: Save Our Drones
 
JB>> Is there any way to keep a group of drones alive over the winter ?
 
I am sure some work has been done on this, but recall having read it.
 
If I wanted to keep large numbers of drone's, say from one mother hive
I would first prevent the drones from flying with queen excluders. This
would give you a much increased drone population as most drones are lost
when they fly away from the hive and don't come back.<G>
 
I would keep the hive as "spring" flush as possible by feeding spring
pollen and light sugar syrup. The natural response is for bees to rear
drones when things are right. It is a good standard to test bee diets.
If the bees rear drones you got a good diet.
 
In all cases drones must have worker bees to care for them just as the
queen. They will die in a short time if no workers are available. I
learned the hard way you can't ship drones in cages with no attendants.
 
JB>Just today one beekeeper told me that he observed perhaps 100 drones
  >in a queenless family. He said that there was no brood in the comb,
  >so these drones most likely survive the winter.
 
Sounds like a laying worker and all the adult adult bees have died? Or
in the spring a drone comet that made the wrong turn. Sometimes, I have
seen the virgin queen fall to the ground and get balled, (the bee ball
kind), by dozen's of drones willing to lay down their life to pass on
their genes.
 
Without seeing them it is hard to tell. They could be young drones
produced by a drone laying queen or one that is no longer fertile,
but at least under winter conditions in mile high Colorado, that I have
some experience with hard winters, a few drones do winter over in most
hives. Here in California drones can be found in most healthy hives all
year as our winters are short.
 
                            ttul Andy-
 
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