When drones get kicked out of the hive...

[Bee Bliss]

When drones get kicked out of the hive is there a lot of frenzied flying also? I had drones and some bees dropping on their backs onto the tops of the hive yesterday during an "event". Just trying to figure it out. There were so many bees at the entrance (wide open), I couldn't tell if there was fighting.

[johnblagg]

lol you probably saw a orientation flight ...I have some clumsy bees that end up on their backs on the top of the hive too thats pretty normal.But you might want to watch and see if there is a lot of fighting at the entrance ..sign of robbing not drones being evicted

[SwedeBee1970]

This may be the result of mites. They appear to fight each other, yet gang up on one another to clean the others. Check for Varroa mites. If so you could try some powdered sugar to sprinkle on them. This is a natural way to get them all to clean each other.

[Bee Bliss]

I saw gentle orientation flights close by the entrance also. No, this was something else. Frenzied! Drones and a few workers were dropping from the sky! Never saw that before. It wasn't just busy. Wide open entrance was congested and there was some bearding.

BTW... does a worker bee do orientation flights just that one day (unless the hive gets moved)?

[johnblagg]

drones dropping from the sky ....can you say what time of day?Drones leave for congregation areas between 1 pm and 4 pm or so and return after that.Do you by any chance have a virgin queen that just went on a mating flight?