Supersede / swarm cell - mating in the "off season"?

[CpnObvious]

Not sure if this is going to make sense to anyone other than me... but I've been curious...

During this time of year, drones are at a minimum.  Are there DCAs for them to find to mate with?  Not all areas have DCAs, do they? WHO would a queen mate with if she's raised as a swarm cell?  You don't want inbreeding.  How far will a queen travel to find a DCA?

I'm sure there's more to go with this, I'm getting my head wrapped around too much at once.

[apisbees]

there are drones till September so on nice flight days the drones will go and hang out at the DCA's In breading depends on the drones in the congregating area and the genetic diversity in the area.
they did a study in northern Alberta on how far the drone colonies could be away from the queen that needed to mate and the longest was 15 miles but for consistent results it was around 10 miles, with good flight days for mating. They theorize that the drone will go up to 3 miles away but the queen will go up to 7 miles and that the queens like to go out side the drone area of the hive as a precaution against in breading.
In perfect weather on a perfect day it all works out. But in reality poor queen mating is a huge problem over the past few years.

[pistolpete]

I'm not sure where you got the idea that drones are at a minimum.  Quite the opposite.  Around the summer solstice drone numbers are at their maximum.

[CpnObvious]

I guess the "drones at a minimum" was a bit of an assumption.  Unless I'm mistaken , you really don't want to see very many drones or drone brood this time of year, hence my assumption they'd be at a minimum.

[riverbee]

apis can correct me on this, but i believe that if there is pollen coming in and an abundance of pollen, you will see drones and drone brood.

[apisbees]

I think you will see them any time there is a chance that they may need them to mate with a queen. I an in a definite no queen mating region for 4 or 5 months of the year but on occasion I do see a drone or two that are alive and in the hive in early January. Drones in the hive is a species survival  trait so the population may be reduced with less drone brood being laid, but as long as there could be a need and the weather favorable for mating I think you will find mature drones in your hive.