Drones Drones & Drones

[BarbieandKen]

One of my hives has lots of drones, even now in the cold weather. I see them flying about - it's 41 here today. There are more drones flying than worker bees this past week. I have not seen any drones getting the boot. Any insights? Hive looked fine 3 weeks ago....we had warmer weather than usual, so i thought it was a delay but now I am freaked by the sheer number of drones. Doubt the hive can survive with drone boys spending the winter.

[Joes_bees]

Make the entrance smaller so it is easier for the workers to keep the drones out of the hive.

[wadehump]

Laying Worker?

[wcubed]

Laying worker is a good bet. They will also maintain drone rearing if they have a supersedure queen in development. Not likely for your area.
Walt

[Michael Palmer]

I have colonies that keep many of their drones through the winter. I see them flying around now, even with the cold weather we're having. The fact that there are drones present, when you think they should have been evicted, because the popular literature says they are, doesn't mean there's a problem or it means the demise of your colony. If your colony has laying workers, you should be able to determine that by looking. Looks like Sunday/Monday it's going to be in the 50s here in New England. Why not pull a comb from the center of the broodnest and look.

Making the entrance smaller won't do much. The bees are quite able to keep the drones where they want them. If they don't give them all the boot, it's because they don't want to.

[wcubed]

Some colonies will maintain a few drones through the winter, but not normally in enough numbers to be conspicuous.
If "they don't want to" it's because an inbred queen is somewhat better than an unmated queen.