👑 Ever wondered how many drones a queen mates with? Or why only one queen rules the hive? Come learn the secrets of the queen bee's royal rituals—including how many mating flights she takes and how her reign is decided—at our National Beekeeper's Boot Camp on February 7th in Toccoa, Georgia! 🐝✨ 📍 This is your chance to dive deep into queen bee biology, mating behavior, and colony dynamics with hands-on insights and expert instruction. Because just like the kitchen… the hive’s only got room fo

Mating Sign 🐝 After a queen bee mates with drones during her mating flights, a mating sign or endophallus is left behind in her reproductive tract. The mating sign is the reproductive organ of the drone, and it becomes detached and lodged inside the queen after successful mating. This physical characteristic serves as evidence that mating has taken place. Back in the hive, worker bees groom and clean the queen, removing the mating sign with their mandibles. The newly mated queen will take a few