We had a medium sized honey harvest this year, 115 pounds off of two hives. I think the drones (males) have been kicked out to freeze to death, and the females will stay to keep the hives warm over the winter and create new drones when they have a use for them. All they do is mate anyway, they don't do any of the work. It's been quite interesting to learn and so much fun as a hobby (notice I'm not out there with a bee suit on and I didn't get 12 stings on my face, so it's a great hobby for me! Maybe I'm the one who will be kicked out....)