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Author Topic: Drone Eviction Day  (Read 2151 times)

Offline Captain776

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Drone Eviction Day
« on: July 15, 2017, 03:27:14 am »
Yesterday I noticed commotion near one hive and I saw fighting on the porch, first thought.....robbing and I saw about 30 dead bees in front of the hive and then wasn't sure if the Greater Banded Hornets had done it so I picked up 10 of them and they were all Drones.
Then when I watched and filmed close up........very obvious, the workers were pushing the Drones out.....but not sure why, we are not approaching cold season, lots of Larvae in the hive, plenty of room, but maybe they got over populated. This hive built comb from the bottom of the plastic frame feeder all the way down but not attached to the bottom board and it was all Drone comb and a lot of it was capped. I saw it but just let them have it because it had Brood in it. I have since removed it.
Can the workers kill Drones.........many times the worker and the Drone fall to the grass together and roll around a bit then worker flies back up to the box and the Drone either crawls on the grass or he flies up and charges the door again

The video is a little fuzzy but you can easily see the evictions taking ng place.
First 20 seconds is jumpy until I get it in the tripod

https://youtu.be/N0hH64t6I-c
Bought my first NUC April 7, 2016.
Like all you when you first started, I am fascinated with beginning Beekeeping and trying to learn all I can.
I retired May 2015 and have added this to my short list of hobbies.

Offline Bush_84

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Re: Drone Eviction Day
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2017, 04:19:23 am »
Workers can kill drones. Is there a dearth or a starvation issue?  Bees will kick out drones before winter but also if they feel as though they can't feed them.
Keeping bees since 2011.

Also please excuse the typos.  My iPad autocorrect can be brutal.

Offline eltalia

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Re: Drone Eviction Day
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2017, 04:34:56 am »
Never having done the "Club Scene" I can however boast of being "bounced", a
bloodbath as best I am able to recall :-D
I liked the guy being launched by leg and arse into bee ether, no amount of tough
stickers saving him from the attack...made me chuckle.

Good work in film, thanks.

Bill

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Drone Eviction Day
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2017, 05:33:48 pm »
Besides picking them up and flying away, usually dropped in to water if available, they can sting them, without dying, and tear wings and legs off.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Van, Arkansas, USA

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Re: Drone Eviction Day
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2017, 05:46:46 pm »
Mr. Sawdust:  when you text without dying, you mean the worker bee does not die after stinging the drone?  Thanks

Offline eltalia

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Re: Drone Eviction Day
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2017, 02:37:35 am »
Yes Van, usually a very noticable event as that video shows.
Nothing at all subtle in eviction.
I have seen drones herded to the upper external reaches of a hive and
seemingly groomed, yet denied entry to the colony at night...they do not
last long out there.
You might see worker and drone locked in death struugles on the ground
near a hive. It happens the worker sinks the stinger right to the hilt and so
dies also.

Cheers.

Bill

Offline Captain776

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Re: Drone Eviction Day
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2017, 06:14:29 am »
Besides picking them up and flying away, usually dropped in to water if available, they can sting them, without dying, and tear wings and legs off.
Jim

There was 30-40 dead on the ground, the next day I did not suit up to fight the Banded Hornets but I could see them in the grass during the day. They are so big, they are very easy to see against my Astro Turf, they picked up every single one and must have taken them back to their hive.
If they only ate the dead ones, I would be happy to have them.
Bought my first NUC April 7, 2016.
Like all you when you first started, I am fascinated with beginning Beekeeping and trying to learn all I can.
I retired May 2015 and have added this to my short list of hobbies.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Drone Eviction Day
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2017, 08:24:19 am »
Mr. Sawdust:  when you text without dying, you mean the worker bee does not die after stinging the drone?  Thanks
That is correct. The barb on the stinger of worker bees is designed to get stuck in mammals, not insects.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

 

anything