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Drones
<br /> 0 Development
<br /> The drone has the longest 7111VM:111112,4,1,111111PVI
<br /> developmental period. He is I
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<br /> slightly larger and stouter than the l+,
<br /> adult worker and has compound111104111111 L .<
<br /> eyes so large they almost join onki,,, ,,, , ' ', ...I
<br /> top of his head (Figure 6). Drones 1 .4''''''-,-- 4.,
<br /> lack many of the specialized ', '%. .0
<br /> structures of workers, like pollen }
<br /> baskets and glands to feed t: 1.440. _ ""� �` 411111
<br /> larvae, and therefore make no AlN,-- "" , \ ' t -
<br /> direct contribution to the colony's ew � .
<br /> workforce. They are unable to sting -
<br /> ,
<br /> and therefore cannot defend the - 1
<br /> colony.Their importance cannot i4 . ' �
<br /> be discounted however.A drone's y ` .
<br /> single function in life is to seek " r
<br /> and mate with a virgin queen from
<br /> a different colony, a feat seldom _ v iwilibilisibio,
<br /> accomplished. Mating, when Figure 6. Drone and workers. Workers are on the left side of the photo and the drone is
<br /> successful, results in his death. on the right(photo by Judy Griesedieck).
<br /> 411
<br /> Most colonies begin to rear drones during mid-spring in cells that are larger than those used for rearing
<br /> workers. The sealed brood cells are not flat like sealed worker brood cells, but dome out like corn puff
<br /> cereal (Figure 7). It is normal for a colony to rear several thousand drones during the summer season
<br /> and seeing several hundred drones in a large, healthy colony should not be cause for concern.An
<br /> overabundance of drones (i.e., more drones than workers in the colony) may indicate one or more of the
<br /> following problems: 1) a disproportionate amount of drone comb; 2) a queen lacking live sperm or an
<br /> inadequate supply of sperm; 3) a queenless colony that has resulted in the presence of laying workers
<br /> (worker bees that lay unfertilized eggs). In late summer, drones are driven from the hive by the workers and
<br /> the colony stops raising drones. If a beekeeper observes an abundance of drones in the fall or winter, the
<br /> colony probably has a failing queen.
<br /> 7 4 i.. -T
<br /> n.
<br /> . . ""
<br /> . * •
<br /> • O •• •,',':',"--1,.,• , Figure 7. Beeswax comb containing sealed
<br /> ::,,,,,,-•- ._ �. • •Y,� • • •• .••.✓•• ,. • • " worker brood (the flat, brown capped
<br /> -1 .• • N
<br /> ".••••••*".
<br /> • • ••• •
<br /> cells), sealed drone brood(the corn puff
<br /> like cells on the top edge and bottom right),
<br /> f` • • i. yr• ° " • • •• •J • • r and capped honeyin the upper left and
<br /> -� •• • • •• •• +• • PP pP
<br /> r?9�.. ', ••Sr, • ,,,•• • • Yf►• • . .• • .-, , right corners.The wax caps on the sealed
<br /> e• k • ei,. • • •�•- -p •A • •• ,,�• " lk,• brood cells may be lighter or darker than
<br /> Q;" rdr �r • • r •'•• 4 e ' •'ilk shown in this image.
<br /> • *e ' •• 'VT** •• •
<br /> .• 60 ' j .... •..f f fir"
<br /> 0 dAl.` .., •••• • ;. ••"• t r� ,•.• .+�'v ".`
<br /> Beekeeping in Northern Climates 7
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