Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[Bleith]

I have recently found a few maybe 4 drones dead with no heads. Maybe it's nothing but I haven't noticed this before when I have seen dead drones. Any thing to be concerned with?

[agapetos]

I'm a newbee on this subject, but I've heard that when the bees start preparing for the winter it is one of the first signs that they start throwing out the drones... possibly they got decapitated in that process?
But all in all, I think it is a normal, healthy process... hey - you've got few drones less to eat your honey

[MikeRobinson]

... unless they are short of food, and are eating a source of protein?

I'd take a good, careful look inside that hive, right away. Do they have stores?

[andy pearce]

The only time I have seen decapitated drones/bees was during a bad wasp attack.
A

[Barbara]

My experience is as Andy says.
Wasps attacking incoming foragers that have full honey stomachs and are perhaps getting tired and don't hit the entrance first time. Wasps loiter outside and pick off those tired workers that fall to the ground before they get chance to get air born again and bite their heads off to get at the nectar. Can't say I've noticed it with drones though.

[Paul Reyes]

I've also found some bees with no head go to know the a wasp caused it which maybe the reason in your case.