First there is the incidence of Herrod-Hempsall in his two volume book. In this case he not only saw the drone and virgin come together in flight, but spotted where they fell and succedded in killing them with cyanide and taking a photograph of them while in actual sexual connection. This must be almost unique though I dare say that if large commercialbreeders could spare the time to watch long enough, many similar instances would transpire. The other case was related to me in a letter two or three years ago in the following words "...........We saw the virgin pursued by a considerable number of drones, and the race continued swiftly in long zig-zags, a number of drones being 'tailed off' at each sharp turn at a height of about forty feet. These zigzags continued for a considerable time. the height being evenly maintained and the distance from us not appreciably increasing.Suddenly something fell, fairly slowly, from the crowd, and, my father keeping watch on the hive, I ran to the spot to search. Unfortunately I misjudged the distance and went too far, for after a vain search I saw the a queen rising apparently from the path in front of me. I at once looked for the drone and sure enough, found one on the grass verge, just as my father announced the return of the queen to the hive......
R.O.B Manley 'Honey Farming' 1946
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