Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Carol on August 08, 2013, 02:55:43 pm

Title: Do Drones leave with a swarm
Post by: Carol on August 08, 2013, 02:55:43 pm

My hive cast off two swarms....seem to be a lot of Drones coming back in the afternoon during orientation.... Do any Drones leave with the swarms?

Title: Re: Do Drones leave with a swarm
Post by: iddee on August 08, 2013, 03:01:22 pm

Drones are nomads. Some will fly with swarms, especially secondary swarms, which have virgin queens in them. At least they are when they leave the hive with the swarm, although they may not be virgins when they arrive at their new home.

Drones don't "live" in any one hive. They travel from hive to hive. You will normally find many drones in a hive that have queen cells ready to emerge.