Ensure drone availability

Maintaining healthy drone populations in the apiary or surrounding area is essential for ensuring virgin queens have ample mating opportunities. Drones are the male bees that virgin queens mate with. A lack of drones due to colony weakness, varroa mite infestation, or seasonal drone population fluctuations can lead to queen mating failure. Beekeepers should manage their colonies to promote drone rearing, especially during queen mating season. This includes varroa mite control and ensuring strong, healthy colonies that naturally produce drones. Drone availability increases the likelihood of successful queen mating and colony queenrightness.