# Drone thread,any experience or story



## beegrowing (Apr 1, 2014)

Drones are the overlooked or mostly annoying kids of a beek. A lot of them and it means "swarm". The big cells breeds mites galore. Is there any Good or interesting side to drones that you've experienced? Your queens may not even breed with any of Your drones, so what else is there? I've got two things drones did for me.

#1. As a first year beek if it wasn't for stingless drones I'd never would have picked up and inspected a living bee without any protection. There is something special-to me at least- for getting to experience a bee,up close and personal, with no fear or chance of injury.:rock:

#2. I got to see a mutation I didn't even know about !!! until I saw a white eyed drone crawling at my hive entrance and flying to it's roof.
I found out on the internet the poor lil guy is blind but he'll be fed inside anyway until he dies. He just doesn't get a chance to fly for the queen. I love odd bits of knowledge like this and I never would have looked it up if the little mutant drone hadn't shown himself to me right when I was observing the entrance.:happy:

Also a little story from a forum. OMG a woman was freaking out over a swarm of black fly-looking things in front of her hive. They made a loud sound unlike her honey bees. Her husband was sent out to swat and kill the little devils assumed to be invaders. Sadly she was killing off her drones because she just didn't Understand that they are big and sometimes are black ...looking nothing like workers,and Do sound different orienting.


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## the kid (Jul 9, 2006)

When our grand son was in 1s t grade he went out befor school and picked eight drones off the hive put them in a jar put holes in the lid took them.to.school for show and tell we got a phone call saying he can not bring any more bees to school when he came home he said I told her the boy bees dont sting but she said I couldnt bring any more any way


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## beegrowing (Apr 1, 2014)

I think it's great that your grand son knew about boy bees and handled them,even if school teachers didn't!!!


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

We use drone comb to control the mites in the hive. Once the drone comb is full of brood and about 80% capped I pull the comb add a new frame of drone comb (about every 20 days.) Put the full comb in the freezer for at least 24 hours to kill the larva and mites. Return it to a hive in about 20 days and the bees clean the cells out and queen refills it.
I also know it is time to make sure I have winter feed on the hives when the girls start the fall throwing the drones out of the hive.

Tom good to see your post;

 Al


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

alleyyooper said:


> We use drone comb to control the mites in the hive. Once the drone comb is full of brood and about 80% capped I pull the comb add a new frame of drone comb (about every 20 days.) Put the full comb in the freezer for at least 24 hours to kill the larva and mites. Return it to a hive in about 20 days and the bees clean the cells out and queen refills it.
> I also know it is time to make sure I have winter feed on the hives when the girls start the fall throwing the drones out of the hive.
> 
> Tom good to see your post;
> ...


I use the drone frames also..... I took plenty of pictures and videos under the microscope..
http://www.justkiddinfarm.com/varroa/varroa.html


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

Al life is still gooing as fast but lm just taking time out to relax and letying things wait in line cause if i burn out things will be waitinng in a longer line any way


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