Which is the best reason for the smaller number of drone bees compared to the number of worker bees in a beehive?

Answer 1

Indicate your subject in the "School Subject" box, so those with expertise in the area will respond to the question.

What are your choices? I would assume that the drones only serve one function: to fertilize the new queen.

Does that match any of your choices?

Answer 2

In winter, very few, if any drones are present. Workers actually pull out of the hive drones in the fall, to suffer death alone. The colony does not need them in the winter, and keeping them is a cost to the colony.