Drone saturated area

[psbeekeeper]

How do I get a drone saturated area without inviting varrora mites (using drone comb).

[Michael Bush]

The idea that you can raise more or less drones is a myth founded on marketing foundation.  The bees will raise the same number no matter what you do.  You can skew the genetics, however, by stealing drone comb from the hives whose genetics you want and putting it in the hives whose genetics you don't want.  The presence of drone brood will suppress the production of drones in the ones you gave it to, while the absence of drones in the hives you want genetics from, will stimulate them to raise more.

[Vance G]

Is that in your book Mr Bush?  Are you holding out on us??  I would have never thought of that but it makes total sense.

[Michael Bush]

>Is that in your book Mr Bush?

I'm sure I said it somewhere.  Looks like page 31, page 125, page 204, ...  But the guy who did the research is Clarence Collison.

Levin, C.G. and C.H. Collison. 1991. The production and distribution of drone comb and brood in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies as affected by freedom in comb construction. BeeScience 1: 203-211.

[beyondthesidewalks]

I've had hives that seemed to raise more drones than others.  Are there studies that have conclusions based on that.  I don't know if it's a race thing (all my bees are mongrels) or maybe I'm being fooled because some do it earlier/later than others.

[Michael Bush]

Yes, race does have an effect.

[beyondthesidewalks]

Any idea what races have the tendency to produce more/less drones?

[Michael Bush]

AHB make more drones... but otherwise I haven't tried to track it.  All bees in the US are mutts anyway...