>I have often run very high levels of drones in a few colonies (50%-60%) for
>increased local saturation. But even at this level some surplus honey is
>still produced.
>
>I suggest leaving the bees to raise as many drones they think is "right" and
>I would guess that large scale comparisons of colonies with "limited drones"
>and "free range" colonies would actually show higher annual honey yields in
>"bee limited drone" colonies.
>
>My reason for saying this is that (I believe) the egg laying rate is stepped
>up in the "happier" colonies and that even with the drones present there are
>more workers in such "happy" colonies.

        My own more limited experience conforms.
        I particularly support Dave's conclusion because, as I have warned
since varroa arrived in my country last year, methods to control varroa are
likely to be pushed, without sufficient justification, based on the sexist
assumption that the males are useless & expendable.  This is the actual
attitude of the dominant political ideology over the past couple decades;
if human males are so insulted, what would you expect for A. mell. males  -
and they are mere haploids to boot!
        The extreme lack of research on drones gives the lie (as does a
great deal of other evidence) to the claim by WimminsLib ideology that
science has been a domain of male dominance & exploitation.  This is a
crude big lie.  Since Mme Curie it has not been difficult for women to get
ahead in science, and it is false to claim that science has neglected
females or female needs.  For instance, there has been far more attention
to diseases of the female genitalia than the male.  A genuinely
male-fixated science would have researched the male bee far more than has
actually been done.
        Anyhow, whatever reasons may be inferred for our state of
ignorance, it is a fact that we know exceedingly little about the roles of
drones in the hive.
        It follows as  G8MZY transmits: we should be very careful about
sacrificing drones for any reason.
        I should at this point utter 10-somethingorother, but don't know
many of those codes.

R