▁of ▁que ens ▁to ▁mate ▁and ▁begin ▁to ▁lay . ▁The ▁h ives ▁in ▁a ▁m ating ▁yard ▁are ▁primarily ▁m ating ▁nuc s ▁or ▁dr one ▁producing ▁h ives . ▁ ▁M ating ▁nuc s ▁are ▁smaller ▁than ▁normal ▁nuc s , ▁often ▁containing ▁non ▁self - s ust aining ▁numbers ▁of ▁be es . ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁be e keeper ▁will ▁re pl en ish ▁the ▁workers ▁in ▁a ▁m ating ▁nuc ▁by ▁sh aking ▁additional ▁be es ▁into ▁m ating ▁nuc s ▁when ▁their ▁population ▁is ▁running ▁low . ▁ ▁Dr one ▁producing ▁h ives ▁Dr one ▁producing ▁h ives ▁produce ▁ab norm ally ▁large ▁numbers ▁of ▁d ron es . ▁By ▁using ▁dr one ▁foundation ▁in ▁the ▁bro od ▁nest ▁a ▁be e keeper ▁can ▁produce ▁a ▁large ▁dr one ▁population ▁to ▁s atur ate ▁the ▁Dr one ▁Cong reg ation ▁area ▁with ▁d ron es ▁of ▁a ▁given ▁stock . ▁S atur ating ▁the ▁dr one ▁con greg ation ▁area ▁impro ves ▁the ▁odd s ▁that ▁the ▁queen ▁will ▁mate ▁with ▁d ron es ▁of ▁a ▁particular ▁line age , ▁but ▁does ▁not ▁guarantee ▁it . ▁ ▁Open ▁m ating ▁This ▁method ▁of ▁m ating ▁is ▁called ▁" open ▁m ating ." ▁Once ▁a ▁queen ▁is ▁m ated ▁and ▁the ▁be e keeper ▁obser ves ▁the ▁lay ing ▁pattern , ▁the ▁queen ▁will ▁be ▁removed , ▁c aged ▁and ▁sold . ▁ ▁The ▁m ating ▁nuc ▁will ▁receive ▁another ▁queen ▁cell ▁or ▁vir gin ▁queen ▁and ▁the ▁process ▁will