Drone bee
Also known as: Drone, Male honey bee
A drone is the male honey bee.
A drone is the male honey bee. His only known task is to mate with a virgin queen. He takes no part in brood care or honey production; it is assumed that drones may also help keep the nest warm.
According to Schaumann and colleagues (PLOS ONE, 2024), a drone makes his first short orientation flights at about 8 days old, reaches maturity at about 12 days and goes on mating flights, usually between 2 and 4:30 pm. Drones gather at congregation areas and wait for queens; they die after mating. Reported lifespans range from 21 to 90 days, and when no virgin queen is there to mate with, worker bees evict the drones from the hive.
Colonies rear drones mainly in spring, peaking in early summer; according to MSU, a colony rears more drones in preparation for swarming.
Why this matters to you. Drone quality affects the queen: Metz and Tarpy argue that a queen is often perceived as "poor" because of poor drones. So the state of the drones matters for colony strength as much as the queen herself.
Facts
| Main use | Mating with a virgin queen |
|---|---|
| Duration | Orientation flights at about 8 days, maturity at about 12 days; mating flights usually 2–4:30 pm |
| House range | Reported lifespan 21 to 90 days |
| Season | Reared in spring, peaking in early summer |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Links
- Part of
- 🐝 Bees
- Similar and different
- Varroa mite, Honey bee colony life cycle
Frequently asked questions
What is the role of a drone?
To mate with a virgin queen; he takes no part in brood rearing or honey production.
How long does a drone live?
From 21 to 90 days in different studies; drones live only one mating season.
Is it true that drones are lazy freeloaders?
No: their job is mating, and they are assumed to help keep the nest warm; the rest of the colony's work is done by workers.
What happens to a drone after mating?
He dies.
When does a colony rear drones?
Mainly in spring, peaking in early summer; more are reared before swarming.
What to read next
- Varroa mite — The Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is a parasitic mite of the honey bee that breeds in capped brood and spreads viruses.
- Honey bee colony life cycle — The honey bee colony life cycle covers how queens, workers and drones develop from egg to adult and how the colony changes over the year, from spring build-up to winter.
Similar
Swarming · Queen bee · Worker bee · Buckfast bee · Carniolan honey bee · Italian honey bee
Sources
- Schaumann et al. (2024) PLOS ONE: native and hybrid (Buckfast) honeybee drones in Sweden
- Metz, Tarpy (2019) Insects: Reproductive senescence in drones of the honey bee
- Mississippi State University Extension: Colony Growth and Seasonal Management of Honey Bees