I've read about it. A lot. When I talk to kids about roles in the hive it's always a favorite. "What do you mean they kick out the drones? Why? The drones do nothing?!?" It's true. Drones don't do much. They mate - but not with the queen of their own hive....she's their mother! They fly up to 'drone congregating areas' and wait for a virgin queen to come by in hopes of mating with her before they die a terrible, literally gut-wrenching death. The drones just eat up honey stores, don't help with housekeeping, brood-rearing or foraging, so when the temperatures start to drop, the ladies kick them out. I'd never seen it before today. Enjoy the photos, courtesy of my photographer friend, Cas.
AuthorSuburban homesteading through trial and error. Archives
May 2015
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