How is a drone bee born?

Drones are the male bees of the colony. In Apis mellifera, they typically develop from unfertilized eggs laid by the queen in larger cells than those used for worker bees. They go through the egg, larva, and pupa stages before emerging as adults, a process that takes approximately 24 days.

The development of a drone begins when the queen lays an unfertilized egg in a cell designated for male bee rearing. This phenomenon is a form of parthenogenesis known as arrhenotokous parthenogenesis. Unlike queens and worker bees, which usually result from fertilized eggs and possess genetic information from both parents, the drone receives only the mother's genetic heritage.

For about three days, the embryo develops inside the egg. After hatching, the larva is fed by nurse worker bees and grows rapidly. The drone cell is larger than the worker cell because the adult will have a more robust body. When the larval stage ends, the cell is capped, and the transformation continues inside it.

During the pupal stage, the wings, legs, compound eyes, and other adult structures develop. The drone's eyes are particularly large and are very close together at the top of the head, a feature related to locating queens during mating flights.

In Apis mellifera, the drone emerges approximately 24 days after the egg is laid. After birth, it still needs a few days to complete sexual maturation. During this period, it remains in the hive, feeds, and gradually begins to take flights. Once mature, it may move to congregation areas where drones from different colonies gather, and where queen mating flights can occur.

The production of drones generally increases when the colony has resources and is in a favorable reproductive phase. During periods of scarcity, their production tends to decrease. In stingless bees (meliponines), males also usually result from unfertilized eggs, but development, cell type, and cycle duration vary among species.

In Apis mellifera, a drone takes approximately 24 days from egg-laying to emerging from the cell.

For stingless bees (meliponines), the development time should be checked per species. There is no single value applicable to all stingless bee genera.

Because it is born from an unfertilized egg, the Apis mellifera drone has only one set of chromosomes, while queens and worker bees have two. This difference helps explain the particular role of males in transmitting genetic diversity.

abelhas.eu allows you to record the presence of drones and drone brood, relating these observations to the time of year, colony strength, and previous visits. A consistent history helps distinguish normal seasonal changes from situations that require more careful evaluation.

The presence of drone brood is normal during certain periods. However, a very high quantity, persistent absence of worker brood, or a brood pattern composed almost exclusively of drones may have different causes and should be evaluated by a beekeeping technician.

Understanding how a drone is born helps interpret the presence of larger cells and male brood in the colony. It also helps understand why drones have a different genetic origin and why their production varies throughout the year.

• How does a bee develop?
• What is the role of drones?
• How is a worker bee born?
• How is a queen bee born?