Drones, originating from unfertilized eggs, are sizable male bees whose only goal in life is to mate with a queen from another hive.

While they are waiting for a mating opportunity they have a charmed life – they don’t work in the hive, don’t make honey and can’t defend the hive as they can’t sting.

The drones life is, however, not long, if they mate with a queen they die afterwards. If they don’t mate and winter is coming they will get kicked out the hive (to have less mouths to feed).

Drones are a bit larger than worker bees and their eyes are about twice the size of worker bees. Drones need this enhanced eyesight to follow the queen as they mate in the air.

The cells where drones grow are larger than the cells for the workers and protrude above the frame.

As drones take longer to hatch than workers they are more prone to predators like mites.

The presence of drones in the hive indicates good hive health as it shows the hive is strong enough to sustain the extra (non productive) bees.