Life inside the hive…Drones. A life to die for.

In all species on earth, males have a very different purpose and life to that of their lady counter parts. I think the ladies will agree with me on that and there might be a lot of giggles and comments. Don’t you agree?

But, unlike in our human species, the males in “animal species” are primarily there to reproduce and ensure the survival of their species for future generations to come. This is no different in male honey bees. Have you ever seen a male honey bee?

In many species of animals, the males have a very different physical appearance than the females. There is a very good reason for that. A great example is the bright colours in the feathers of many polygamous male bird species. These boys need this beautiful colouration to attract as many females as possible. Dressing up for a date, you might think? You’ve guessed it! These boys have just one thing on their mind!

And their responsibility very rarely goes beyond that. In honey bees, the males have the very same behaviour, although they do not appear nearly as flashy as what you would think. And then they don’t just mate with any female honey bee… Male honey bees are out to court only one specific female, the Honey Bee Queen herself!       

We refer to male honey bees as Drones. And yes, you don’t see them often. In fact, someone who doesn’t know honey bees very well most likely won’t know that they are looking at a drone when they see one. The reason is actually simple. Honey bee drones don’t forage for pollen and nectar like their female worker counterparts.

The bees you see buzzing around your garden daily, are female worker bees. So, what do these boys do, is the question then? Well, to be honest, they spend their time mostly at home! Inside the hive!

Now if you are a lady reading this, I know what you thinking.

The drones look very different from the females. They have a stocky, fattish build. Greatly enlarged eyes, twice the size of that of the queen and her daughters. Their abdomens are fat and short and their wings extend over it. They look like little body builders. (Photo credit to Beekeeping Wiki)

Inside the hive, the drones are fed by nurse bees until they hatch from their cells. After hatching they hang around the hive and feed all day long, until they are ready to take their first flight. They do assist in one function inside the hive though. They assist in hive cooling duties. Other then that, not much else is being done by them.

But then one day, it is time to go find the ultimate prize. A honey bee queen. Off they go.

The drones form “Drone congregation areas”. This is where they will wait for virgin queen bees to arrive. These congregation areas are 10 - 40 meters above the ground. Why? Well, honey bees’ mate in midair!

In these congregation areas they compete to be the one who gets to mate with a virgin queen.

There can be drones from as many as 200 colonies, and an estimated 25000 individual drones. Now that is what I call serious competition!

If a drone is successful to get to a queen first, he will mate with the virgin queen in midair. Winning the ultimate prize!

His mating flight with his queen will last on average 30 minutes. And then his life journey is halted. He has fulfilled his purpose and the drone dies.

With a smile on his little face, may I add.

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