Looking for advice on "drone-layers" ... is this a common phenomenon?  I
found a
whole frame of foundation that was COVERED WITH DRONES
in one of my hives last weekend and am still scratching my head about it.
Is
this unusual?  Does this mean I have a queen doing funny things?
Thanks.
Jeff Hills

I'm not quite clear what is being asked here, does "covered with drones"
mean as I suspect filled with developing drone larvae, or that the frame
alone is covered with adult drones?

Taking the most likely option first option I would suggest that by mistake a
sheet of 'drone foundation' has been fitted to the frame, or maybe even a
frame was used where NO foundation was used (not necessarily always leading
to drone comb but often is the case - I wonder why as feral colonies build
mainly worker comb into an empty cavity), both leading to the queen laying
unfertilised eggs and thus drones.

If my second alternative is the scenario I find that the flank frames in my
hives hold the majority of the lurking drones - maybe because they contain
the food stores and where better to lurk.

From a lightweight drone beekeeper who also likes his grub.

Ken Hoare