I found this guy just to the side of my hive. What happened to him?
Certainly looks like his equipment is out and primed, but doesn’t look like he made a great deposit…
Looks mated to me too… Is that a smile on his face …
Do they try to fly home after they mate and happened to get that close before dying? Or did he just happen to mate right outside the hive?
He is literally less then 2’ away from the entrance. On one of the cinderblock supports of the stand.
Well, I would say from the amount of equipment left on him, he didn’t get to leave a royal deposit. If he had, he would have been a eunuch, but your photo suggests a guy with parts intact. What really happened is anyone’s guess.
You guys are weirdos!
Tackle aside, is it even a honey bee? The eyes don’t look big enough to be a drone and I think @adagna’s point about flying home from the dca is a good point.