"Bring out the Drones" (apologies to Hilary Mantel)

Honeybees love Mesembryanthemums. They collect the reddish pollen in their pollen baskets on their back legs.

 

 In the middle of these pics. you will spot one or two drones.
Do not be alarmed if your female workers (diploid) start pushing out the
male drones (haploid).  This time of the year the drones which are still alive will be extra mouths to feed , contributing nothing to the colony's
efforts to store food for the winter months. The productive drones will not have made it back to the hive - plummeting to earth after mating with the virgin queen. A sad but true story. Drones never come out on top despite their efforts although they do contribute their genes to the colony.
PS If you're a drone reading this do not become dispirited. The time in between can be fun !

.