Drone congregation areas

[Pi]

I was reading in a bee book about drone congregation areas, and found the subject very facinating.  Drone congregation areas are areas where the local drones fly about and await the arrival of new queens to mate with.  Somehow new queens know just where to go.
One story I read is about a fella who puts queen phermone on the end of a tall pole, and wanders about until he somehow finds mess of drones.  He takes note of the sight.  I guess it's kind of hobby of his.
I'd be interested in hearing if anyone has located such congregation areas in their greater bee yard neighborhoods, and what they saw.

[Scadsobees]

I've read that they are typically 30 ft up or more, so are hard to wander around and find.  They've been created like you mentioned with the pheremones or by a caged virgin queen.  Occasionally it happens, though over a bee-yard where somebody is working.

The trick to finding them is to look for the drone bar and there will usually be a bunch of drones dropping pick-up lines to any bee flying by. :roll:

Rick

[Bennettoid]

The trick to finding them is to look for the drone bar and there will usually be a bunch of drones dropping pick-up lines to any bee flying by. :roll:

Rick

Avoid the ones with the motorcycles parked out front, they can be a little rough.

[Jerrymac]

I've read that they are typically 30 ft up or more, so are hard to wander around and find. 

Around here it is hard to find a place thirty feet up unless you go into the city.

[xC0000005]

I've read that they are typically 30 ft up or more, so are hard to wander around and find.  They've been created like you mentioned with the pheremones or by a caged virgin queen.  Occasionally it happens, though over a bee-yard where somebody is working.

The trick to finding them is to look for the drone bar and there will usually be a bunch of drones dropping pick-up lines to any bee flying by. :roll:

Rick

One Reasearcher I listened to claimed that you could hear them from the ground. (And that different species of bee - melifera, ceranae florea, etc) used different DCAs, along with different drone flight times.

[NWIN Beekeeper]

[I've read that they are typically 30 ft up or more...]


I've also heard they hang around tree lines.... etc etc etc...

I have heard of folks that have had them 10 feet off the ground in the middle of an open field.

I think prevailing winds play a significant factor when you are a big fat drone. 

I'd also say that I think it is a bit less understood than most authors pretend to understand.

None of this takes into consideration how much farmland and woodlands are being lost to development.
Where do drones go then?

[... the drone bar]

Great, next spring I'll be out at my hives with a microscope checking my queens for any provocative tattoos.