How long do male drones typically live?

Male drones typically live all summer, which is the correct answer to the question. Drones are the male bees in the hive, and their primary role is to mate with a queen during the breeding season. This mating period usually occurs in late spring and throughout the summer months when the queen is actively laying eggs and the colony is thriving.

Once the mating season ends, drones can be expelled from the hive as the colony prepares for the winter. This pattern of life means that drones generally have a lifespan that spans several months during the warm months, often up to about 8 weeks or more, depending on environmental conditions and specific colony dynamics.

The other available options suggest shorter lifespans or living through winter, which would not accurately reflect the typical lifecycle of drones. They do not survive through winter because they do not contribute to the survival of the colony during this critical time, and they usually do not live just a week or a month in a healthy and productive hive environment.