Introduction

All bees in a colony are the same. In reality, honeybees have different roles and each type of bee contributes to the colony’s survival in its own way. The drone bee is the male honeybee. His life is different from that of the worker bee and the queen because his main role is reproduction.

A drone does not spend his life collecting nectar, making honey or building comb. Instead, his main biological purpose is to mate with a virgin queen. The mating process takes place in the air and can end with the death of the drone. This makes the life of the drone short but important because his reproductive contribution can influence the next generation of the colony.

What is a Drone Bee?

A drone is the male bee in a honeybee colony. Drones are generally larger and broader than worker bees and have large eyes that help them locate queens during mating flights.

Unlike worker bees, drones do not normally perform the daily jobs that keep the hive running. They do not:

• Collect nectar and pollen for the colony.
• Make honey.
• Build or repair comb.
• Guard the entrance of the hive.
• Care for young bees.

Their main role is reproduction. A drone that successfully mates with a queen transfers sperm to her. The queen can then use the stored sperm to fertilize eggs throughout much of her reproductive life.

Why Drones exist in the Colony?

Because the main role of a drone is reproduction, its role is closely connected to genetic continuity.  Successful mating allows the queen to produce fertilized eggs that develop into female bees.

Drones therefore contribute to the colony by helping to:

• Pass genetic material to the next generation.
• Support the production of new worker bees.
• Maintain the reproductive strength of honeybee colonies.
• Increase genetic diversity through mating with queens from different colonies.

Colonies commonly produce more drones when food is available and environmental conditions are favourable. When resources become scarce, colonies may reduce the number of drones they support.

The Mating Flight: The Beginning of the End

A virgin queen does not normally mate inside the hive. When she is ready to mate, she leaves the hive and flies into the open air. The mating flight is an important event because it allows the queen to meet drones from different colonies.

v The Queen Goes Out

The virgin queen leaves the hive and flies into the surrounding area. During the flight, she releases pheromones. These chemical signals help drones locate her.

v Drone Congregation Areas

Drones gather in areas of the air called Drone Congregation Areas, or DCAs. These are crucial locations where many drones gather while waiting for a queen to appear.

When a queen enters one of these areas, drones detect her pheromones and pursue her. Several drones attempt to approach the queen, but only some successfully reach her.

Stage 1: Initial Mounting Position

Illustration of the initial mounting position during the mating flight.

During the first stage, a drone approaches the queen in flight and mounts her from above. The two bees remain airborne while the drone positions himself for mating.

Stage 2: Mating and Sperm Transfer

Illustration of the intermediate mating position.

In the second stage, the drone positions his reproductive organ, the endophallus, to transfer sperm to the queen. The pair remains coupled briefly while the transfer takes place. The mating occurs in the air and is part of the queen’s reproductive flight.

Stage 3: Separation and the Drone’s Death

Illustration of the separation stage after mating.

After mating, the drone’s endophallus is detached from his body as the bees separate. This causes severe physical damage to the drone. He falls away from the queen and dies shortly afterwards. The queen, however, continues her flight and may mate with additional drones.

Mating in Mid Air: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Act

The queen’s mating flight involves several mating events. A successful drone mates with the queen while both bees are flying. Sperm is transferred into the queen and the drone’s reproductive organs are seriously damaged during separation.

The death of a drone after mating is a natural part of honeybee reproduction. The drone’s contribution ends with the transfer of his sperm, while the queen continues to store and use sperm from the drones with which she mates.

What the Queen Gains from the Mating Flights

A queen ordinarily mates with more than one drone during her mating flights. The sperm she receives from different drones is stored in a special organ known as the spermatheca.

The stored sperm can remain available to the queen for much of her reproductive life. She uses it to fertilize eggs and produce female offspring such as worker bees and future queens. In this way, the mating flights of drones have a lasting effect on the colony.

Through the stored sperm, the queen can:

• Lay large numbers of fertilized eggs.
• Produce worker bees.
• Produce future queens when the colony requires them.
• Maintain the population of the colony.
• Pass genetic material from several drones to the next generation.

What Happens to Drones That Do Not Mate?

Not every drone gets an opportunity to mate with a queen. Some drones never encounter a queen, while others remain in the colony without reproducing. Drones that become old or are no longer supported by the colony may die.

When food becomes scarce, worker bees may force drones out of the hive. Outside the hive, these drones die because they cannot easily obtain enough food or shelter. This shows that the survival of drones is closely connected to the condition and needs of the colony.

Lessons from the Drone Bee

Purpose: The drone has a specialised role that is important for reproduction even though he does not perform the daily work done by worker bees.

Contribution: A drone contributes genetic material to the next generation through mating with a queen.

Sacrifice: A drone that successfully mates usually dies shortly afterwards because of the physical damage associated with mating.

Teamwork in nature: The queen, workers and drones have different roles, yet their activities are connected to the survival of the colony.

Continuity: The reproductive role of drones helps the colony produce future generations of bees.

Conclusion

Drone bees have a specialised role in the honeybee colony. Their main purpose is reproduction and this takes place during mating flights in the open air. A drone that successfully mates with a queen transfers sperm and usually dies soon afterwards because of the physical damage caused during separation.

Although the drone’s life may be relatively short, his reproductive contribution can affect the colony for generations. The queenstores sperm and uses it to fertilize eggs, allowing the colony to produce many new bees. The drone therefore plays an important part in the continuation of honeybee life.

Illustration Note

The illustrations in this article were prepared from the supplied honeybee drone mating diagram. They are included to show the three main stages described in the report: initial mounting, mating and sperm transfer, and separation after mating.

Hapton Imbalambala

BioCosmos Kenya Students Club

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology