Drone bees

Drone bees are male bees whose primary role is to fertilize queen bees during mating. They are larger than female worker bees but do not have stingers and do not perform tasks like foraging or hive maintenance. Drones develop from unfertilized eggs and exist mainly to reproduce. Once mating is complete, they typically die shortly afterward. Their presence is essential for the hive’s reproductive cycle, ensuring the production of new queens and maintaining genetic diversity within the colony.