Drone frames are used in queen rearing apiaries to increase the number of drone bees in the drone mother colonies.

Also used overseas for varroa control (integrated pest management - IPM) as the varroa mite prefers to replicate drone cells over worker cells. When bees have capped the drone cells, the frame is placed in a plastic bag and frozen overnight. On removal from the freezer, a cappings scratcher is used to break open the cells. The frame is returned to the hive so worker bees can remove the dead drones and mites.