Drone frames

[Dave Burrup]

I am going to use drone frames to trap and reduce mite numbers this year. Where do I position them in the brood nest?

[Michael Bush]

It's not going to happen now. Maybe next spring. I would put it on the sides.

[beemandan]

If my starter strip experience last spring was any indication, you can put that frame in the center of your brood box very early in the season. This would be especially true if the foundation isn't already drawn. Then, I would think that each time you remove it to freeze the pupae, you would return it progressively further away from the middle of the brood area. By season's end I would expect that frame to be at the outside of the box and be full of honey. Just my opinion.

[BEES4U]

The Pierco drone cell base frames are positioned in the second frame from the side.
or,
1-D-3-4-5-6-7-8-D-10
OR,
1-D-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
OR,
1-D-3-4-5-6-7-8-9
I am sure you will have more suggestions by other members.
Ernie

[dug_6238]

It's not going to happen now. Maybe next spring. I would put it on the sides.

<<It's not going to happen now. Maybe next spring.>> Agreed.


<< I would put it on the sides.>>
Really?? I'd swear we'd talked about this before and about maximum efficiency being acheived when they're put in the center of the broodnest. I've been puting them in the center, and they're dealt with (cleaned and re-laid) really quickly, plus they get used until the end of the year rather than being backfilled earlier like they have a tendency to do on the outside. Then I moved them toward the outside at the end of the year after they were backfilled rather than laid up with eggs. In the spring they go back to the middle for drone trapping...

Did I misinterpret this? It seemed to work quite well for me this way, and I simply replaced each frame with one taken out of the freezer that morning. Are there reasons one would want to stay out of the broodnest when using drone trapping?

PS - let me qualify my statement a little further - my thinking was also geared toward keeping the frame in the top center of the broodnest to continue drone removal as late as possible in the year, until use in the top box (& more importantly the drone comb) ceases to become effective. Am I incorrect in thinking that this point could approach earlier in the fall in the outermost frame locations?

[bee_wrangler]

I used Randy Olivers method of drone trapping with good success the last 2 seasons. Remember to cut the drone comb out in a timely manner or you will have possibly bred more mites. Here is a link to his page and info on methods.

http://www.scientificbeekeeping.com/...1&limitstart=3

[Michael Bush]

Anywhere in the brood nest will work when they are intent on raising drones (prime swarm season). The natural place for the bees to put them is on the edges of the brood nest. In a hive with no excluder I've seen people put them in the supers and if there is no drone comb in the brood nest the queen will go up there and lay them full.

[dug_6238]

Ok, thank you. That clears it up for me. I appreciate your response.

[magnet-man]

Dug has the correct answer in my book. I always put them in the middle of the brood nest. I do handle the sealed drones in a few ways.

1. I will leave the sealed frame out and the mocking birds will clean the frame out in a few days. The birds are fun to watch.

2. My son will freeze the frame and knock the brood out and deep fry them. A little bit of salt and they are not too bad.

3. Just cut the brood out and put new foundation in and return to hive.

I run two frames at a time. I put one in and a week later I put a second one in. I run each frame twice and then stop.

[knightm1]

I believe that the practice of culling drone brood is detrimental to honeybee genetics. This practice places unresolvable pressures on the bees that normally will not occur. It causes even more resources to be expended toward drone rearing and who knows what the long term genetic effects on the species will be. In AHB areas, IMVHO it would be better to encourage more drone production of EHB to allow for more hybridations of feral stocks. The less EHB drones available in these areas, the more likely the AHB drones will reproduce without any hybridation. Also, it is likely that the reduction of drone brood and less genetic diversity is why we are raising queens that are failing eariler. The more healthy drones, the better the chance our queens will be properly mated.

[Velbert]

Dave
where you are located you are running a bit later into the season before they start drone rearing I would think
here in Oklahoma the stronger hives the queen will start laying drone eggs about the 15th Jan or FEB 1st it varies from year to year. ALL will be laying by the last of FEB to 1st MARCH

I will always keep the first round of Drones for early mating. USUALLY the queen will not lay the whole frame at one time have seen sealed cells,larva to eggs all in the same frame.

what I do is about the the 1st part of Jan I will place me Built Drone comb wright next to the last worker brood comb that has brood in it I don't place in the center for at this time of the year the temp may drop to the point they will not be able to keep the brood warm and by doing it this way they can expand into it when they have the bee population and incoming food to raise nice fat drones

And this is the same way I would do it if the frame is not drawn out place it by the last frame toward the outer cluster that has a small amount of brood in it then I put my inside feeder next to it and feed to speed the constructing process of the drone frame

[mwjohnson]

Bee Wrangler
Thanks for that link.

I've been trapping for 4 years with no other control, but I'm gonna have to try some of Mr. Olivers frames.... instead of using medium frames in a deep brood box, and then cutting off the capped drone cells like I've been doing.

His idea has definite advantages, mostly:
1) eliminating the problem of removing the bits of comb that get attached to the hive wall or other combs.
2) and the honey storage issue that arises later in the season.

Thanks