you are all welcome to come and sit on the wall and watch for a drone congregation area above 'my' field.. I have never seen one and would love to do so....... very frustrating that the drones appear after a trip out as my desk at work looks out over the field.......
I suspect I will have to record many more occurrences before writing a scientific paper though ! shame I still have to work otherwise I would be sitting on the wall too
I think you might do better with a sensitive microphone ,drone congregation areas are sometimes quite high so difficult to see but produce quite a loud buzz which can be clearly heard.Originally Posted by HensandBees
Drone Matters
Drones are now being herded onto the floor area of this hive I opened yesterday, I presume prior to being excluded from the hive.
Also a picture included of drone sex organs everted (end of May); Terry Clare said this was about a couple of weeks away from full maturity.
Alvearium
Cracking pictures, A! I'm still a little bit nervous about this turning into a porn site though .....
Those drones on the floor have a dejected, resigned look about them. Do you think that they know their days are numbered?
G.
I am getting a tad confused with trying to reply with a photo a attached so if this becomes a multiple reply apologies
anyway . really good photo there is a difference to my drones however ...... who no longer seem to have the bulb and finish at the horns (cornua) so either
1. left in queen 2. only partial inversion from quite a number of drones but they made it back to the hive 3. nibbled off by passing slugs or snails after successful mating. & this not porn this is scientific research !
ahhhhhhh lost the photo try again!
I found a few more freshly dead drones and perfected my popping method: rather than squeezing their sides I pushed the upper part of their tail end forward, accordion style. This gave a good display.
Now who can tell me the difference between a fully mature drone and an immature one?
Doris
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