It was Tim's project and my commitment was limited to gathering up a few drones from him to experiment with. I have had an offer of the lend of a Schley apparatus but finding the time for the palaver is my problem.
Just came across this:
Unfortunately the author gives no clue as to the intended purpose of over-wintering drones.I do not know that the length of life of the Drone has been satisfactorily ascertained - in fact, we may conclude they usually meet with a violent death before they are three months old, but I have in a Queenless stock kept Drones alive from Autumn until the following Spring.
A Manual of Beekeeping, John Hunter (late Honorary Secretary of the British Beekeepers Association), 4th Ed. 1884, page 19.
LJ
Some of my colonies overwinter a few drones.
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