[hennagirl]

So a friend, who keeps bees, had a swarm which he brought over for my bait hive. They seem to have settled in happily. I got them on Thursday and today I opened up the lid and looked inside. There were a lot of drones and I saw at least three whose thorax was separated from the abdomen. I think this means they have mated with the queen? Or are the workers just killing them off?

 

[Michael Bush]

I've only see it happen when I think I caused it... when they mate they do not get torn in half, they just get their insides ripped out, similar to when a worker stings you...

 

[Mr.Beeman]

Tough life to be a drone. inch:

Not sure if I can assist in any way since I've never seen it before. I'm sure it will work itself out though.

 

[drlonzo]

So a friend, who keeps bees, had a swarm which he brought over for my bait hive. They seem to have settled in happily. I got them on Thursday and today I opened up the lid and looked inside. There were a lot of drones and I saw at least three whose thorax was separated from the abdomen. I think this means they have mated with the queen? Or are the workers just killing them off?

What did their wings look like? Pictures that i've seen of the DWV looks similar to that with drones but their wings are usually messed up too.

 

[clyderoad]

What did their wings look like? Pictures that i've seen of the DWV looks similar to that with drones but their wings are usually messed up too.

I've never seen a bee with deformed wing virus that had the thorax separated from the abdomen. The drones with DWV look just like the workers with DWV.
Agree with MBush about mating.
Soomething else caused the mutilation. Were they dried up and brittle?