drones in spring?

[jlk]

I just saw two drones go into my hives today.What is that a sign of?It is still pretty early in the spring here no blooms or pollen just yet,but the red maple is just around the corner from blooming.

[Pollinator]

No mustard or henbit? We have plenty here in SC.

It's been a mild winter. Strong hives will keep drones thru a mild winter here. But I've seen them throw them out in a storm in early March (kind of a hearbreaker, when you are planning to start rearing queens in a couple weeks).