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Author Topic: Kicking out drones during the honey flow?  (Read 1581 times)

Offline Bob Wilson

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Kicking out drones during the honey flow?
« on: April 26, 2021, 06:34:21 pm »
I have a friend, who is seeing bees clipping the wings off a few drones and kicking them out of the hive during our present honey flow. Do colonies sometimes kill drones drifting in from other hives?
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Offline AR Beekeeper

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Re: Kicking out drones during the honey flow?
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2021, 06:58:44 pm »
I think what your friend is seeing is the results of Deformed Wing Virus, I have never seen drones removed from a colony during a nectar/pollen flow.

The beekeeping literature says that drones are welcome in all colonies, I know that I see drones of varied colors in my colonies.
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Kicking out drones during the honey flow?
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2021, 09:22:28 pm »
I am inclined to believe AR is right....  Not the same thing but season before last I had drones all the way up to winter.
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Online The15thMember

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Re: Kicking out drones during the honey flow?
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2021, 09:31:09 pm »
I see workers harassing drones at times, even during a flow, but I've never noticed any damaged drones during a flow personally.  Are you sure the flow is still on?  Perhaps you are undergoing a small dearth. 
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Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: Kicking out drones during the honey flow?
« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2021, 10:35:44 pm »
Honey flow is still on. We have privit in full bloom right now. I will help him keep an eye on the issue. Thanks.
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Offline TheHoneyPump

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Kicking out drones during the honey flow?
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2021, 10:52:07 pm »
Bob, I would go arm in arm with AR on this.  Ask your friend to be promptly sampling for varroa and him/her to ensure to be controlling them to protect their bees as well as the neighbours bees and the feral bees in the area.
I see drones drift and see the ofd one being pulled about by the bees but never malicious wing clipping until just before winter.   Especially not on a flow. On a flow the bees are too busy to be bothered and they welcome drones being around to support their upcoming swarm and supercedure intentions.
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When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Kicking out drones during the honey flow?
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2021, 01:15:13 am »
As a side-note to seeing dead drones: I moved some hives last week. One of them was a Nuc. It was a 400 mile move, done completely at night, with screens. As I installed the hives to their new location the next morning, and removed the screens, I noticed lots of dead bees on the entrance of the Nuc. Closer inspection showed that all the dead bees were drones. I moved from "flow" to "flow". The queen in this Nuc is abut 4 weeks old with a solid brood pattern. The drones did not come from this hive. Apparently, they were "executed" as the cluster woke up. ... it's the only explanation I have anyways. ... just observations.
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Kicking out drones during the honey flow?
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2021, 02:10:59 am »
Quote from: CoolBees on April 27, 2021, 01:15:13 am
As a side-note to seeing dead drones: I moved some hives last week. One of them was a Nuc. It was a 400 mile move, done completely at night, with screens. As I installed the hives to their new location the next morning, and removed the screens, I noticed lots of dead bees on the entrance of the Nuc. Closer inspection showed that all the dead bees were drones. I moved from "flow" to "flow". The queen in this Nuc is abut 4 weeks old with a solid brood pattern. The drones did not come from this hive. Apparently, they were "executed" as the cluster woke up. ... it's the only explanation I have anyways. ... just observations.

Alan I have dabbled into the science of AI/II; information only. (To complicated for me). From what I understand, drones do not do very well when captive, I do not know it the travel had anything to do with it or not but as I understand it, drones are very fragile.



                                                                                                                                                                                .
« Last Edit: April 27, 2021, 02:49:27 am by Ben Framed »
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline TheHoneyPump

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Kicking out drones during the honey flow?
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2021, 03:21:13 am »
Quote from: CoolBees on April 27, 2021, 01:15:13 am
As a side-note to seeing dead drones: I moved some hives last week. One of them was a Nuc. It was a 400 mile move, done completely at night, with screens. As I installed the hives to their new location the next morning, and removed the screens, I noticed lots of dead bees on the entrance of the Nuc. Closer inspection showed that all the dead bees were drones. I moved from "flow" to "flow". The queen in this Nuc is abut 4 weeks old with a solid brood pattern. The drones did not come from this hive. Apparently, they were "executed" as the cluster woke up. ... it's the only explanation I have anyways. ... just observations.
Very kool observation Mr Cool!
Hoaly hell that was hard to type. Siri had to take over. Too much mead this evening! LoL

Thank you Blackforest Beekeeper!
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When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Kicking out drones during the honey flow?
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2021, 11:50:38 am »
Quote from: TheHoneyPump on April 27, 2021, 03:21:13 am

 Very kool observation Mr Cool!
Hoaly hell that was hard to type. Siri had to take over. Too much mead this evening! LoL

Thank you Blackforest Beekeeper!

 :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: BlackForest was cool!! Enjoy Mr HP!!
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You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln
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