60 



BEEKEEPING IX THE SOUTH 



Fig. 23. One of M. C. Berry's yards for breeding package bees. 



A Drone Reservoir. 



The practice common among southern queen breeders to pro- 

 tect their supply of drones, when shortages of honey come be- 

 tween flows, is interesting in the application of a known bee 

 instinct which it makes use of. Queenless bees welcome drones 

 and seldom kill them off in any number. By keeping certain colo- 

 nies in the yard permanent!}^ queenless at the approach of a 

 dearth of honey or fall weather, drones will congregate there and 

 be available for queen mating purposes long after they might 

 otherwise be driven out. This is called by some beekeepers, a 

 "drone reservoir." 



