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Author Topic: No Drones......ever  (Read 2017 times)

Offline Aroc

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No Drones......ever
« on: September 18, 2017, 01:17:14 pm »
 One of my hives have never produced any drones all year. It is an observation hive but I still find it odd.

 Could it be that there isn't enough room with in the hive to build drone cells?
You are what you think.

Van, Arkansas, USA

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Re: No Drones......ever
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2017, 01:55:18 pm »
My 2 cents.  Drone brood is initiated prior to reproduction.  Reproduction in this case pertains to swarming, that is hive reproduction, not individual.  Your hive has no intentions of swarming, therefore no drone cells are initiated.
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Offline GSF

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Re: No Drones......ever
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2017, 02:37:00 pm »
ditto what Van said
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: No Drones......ever
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2017, 09:49:34 pm »
I read that it takes a certain number of bees in the hive before the bees start to make drones.  The author did not know how the bees knew how many bees were in the hive but he determined there was a threshold. I forget the number but he did provide one.
Jim
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Offline Acebird

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Re: No Drones......ever
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2017, 08:07:17 am »
ditto what Jim said.
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Offline little john

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Re: No Drones......ever
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2017, 08:49:52 am »
Agree with what's already been said.  Healthy nuc-sized colonies don't raise drones, and so I'm not surprised to hear that an observation hive hasn't.
LJ

Whoops - just checking:  by "observation hive" do you mean the type often placed inside a building, typically with 2-3 frames ? (that's what I've assumed above)

Or could it be a full-sized hive fitted with windows in the brood box sides ?  I know some Warre hives are built like this, but don't know if Langs and similar are.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2017, 12:48:29 pm by little john »
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Offline jalentour

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Re: No Drones......ever
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2017, 11:23:51 am »
Has the poster been removing frames of brood from the hive?
Just wondering if he was controlling the swarm instinct by keeping the size of the hive low.

Offline Jim134

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Re: No Drones......ever
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2017, 09:10:08 pm »
I read that it takes a certain number of bees in the hive before the bees start to make drones.  The author did not know how the bees knew how many bees were in the hive but he determined there was a threshold. I forget the number but he did provide one.
Jim

  This may be what you're looking for. This is actually one of the reasons why. People using 4 frame nuc to draw comb.
I do know 3 Beekeeping in New England that does this . Michael Palmer,Kirk Webster and Troy Hall
   http://honeylove.org/forums/topic/what-triggers-drone-comb-production/
   
   https://blountbees.wordpress.com/tag/drone-cells/

          BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :smile:
« Last Edit: September 20, 2017, 09:35:43 pm by Jim 134 »
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Offline Aroc

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Re: No Drones......ever
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2017, 10:59:01 pm »
Agree with what's already been said.  Healthy nuc-sized colonies don't raise drones, and so I'm not surprised to hear that an observation hive hasn't.
LJ

Whoops - just checking:  by "observation hive" do you mean the type often placed inside a building, typically with 2-3 frames ? (that's what I've assumed above)

Or could it be a full-sized hive fitted with windows in the brood box sides ?  I know some Warre hives are built like this, but don't know if Langs and similar are.

It's a 2x4 wall mounted Lang frame hive.
You are what you think.

Offline Aroc

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Re: No Drones......ever
« Reply #9 on: September 20, 2017, 11:02:54 pm »
Has the poster been removing frames of brood from the hive?
Just wondering if he was controlling the swarm instinct by keeping the size of the hive low.

Haven't removed any frames.  She doesn't have all the frames filled.  The bottom two have yet to be drawn.
You are what you think.