What is the purpose of drone bees?

The primary purpose of drone bees in a honey bee colony is to mate with a queen. Drones are the male bees of the hive, and during the mating season, they leave the hive to participate in mating flights. The queens, who are produced in the hive, are equipped to mate just once in their lifetime, and this single mating event occurs during a nuptial flight where they mate with several drones to ensure genetic diversity in the hive.

Drones do not have the tools needed for foraging or hive maintenance, such as stingers or the ability to produce honey. Therefore, their role is specifically limited to reproduction. This function is essential for the survival and continuation of the colony, as the fertilized eggs laid by the queen will develop into worker bees that perform most of the hive's tasks, while the drones themselves have a very limited lifespan, dying soon after mating or being expelled from the hive before winter.