On a separate but related note, drone honeybees aren’t just integral to the long-term survival of their species for mating reasons, they can be a surprisingly big help to the colony’s health by helping you, their beekeeper, too!
Varroa mite infestations can wreak havoc on a honeybee colony as mites will hide out inside developing brood cells to lay their eggs and reproduce safely. As developing mites grow, they feed on the fat of developing bee larvae and may cause development issues and/or transmit diseases to the bees. As mite populations grow, it becomes nearly impossible for bees to manage mite levels on their own, and may need intervention from their keeper.
Because drones are larger than worker bees, the cells they develop in are larger than other brood nest cells. The time drones spend developing inside the cell is longer, too. This makes drone development cells inside the brood nest a prime choice for developing varroa mites to hide out in and reproduce. Utilizing drone cells during an inspection to check for mites can help. Simply remove a few drone larvae that are already under wax cappings and see if any mites are present. If you note that there ARE mites within drone cells, a more involved investigation and mite count test should be done ASAP.
You can even use specialized drone frames in your beehive to help manage varroa mites inside your hives on an ongoing basis.
Check out the “Read More” section below to find more details on using drone frames to combat varroa mites and how you can do it yourself!
Read More
What is the role of a drone honeybee?
What is a Drone Congregation Area?
The Use of Drone Frames to Combat Varroa
The Role of the Drone Honeybee *
* Colony Member–Only Content
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The Use of Drone Frames to Combat Varroa
Drone Frames – ^ See the “The Use of Drone Frames to Combat Varroa” article above for details and guidance on why and how to use drone frames.
