Do Droans take flight for reasons other than mating with the queen?

[Sam Fugate]

Another daily observation: Droans leaving and returning to the hive, do they normally take flight for reasons other than mating with the queen ?

[crofter]

I think they cruise around on speculation. Have read that they only have about half an hour flying time before they have to return to a hive to be refueled with honey.

[Rader Sidetrack]

do they normally take flight for reasons other than mating with the queen ?

Generally, drones from a given hive do not mate with a queen from that same hive. Drones generally fly to drone congregation areas, where there are drones from multiple hives, and they all hope to have an opportunity to mate with a virgin queen who has also flown to the DCA.

[Sam Fugate]

Thanks folks, 2 months into this, learn something new every day !