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We are happy to announce an upcoming Queen Rearing Workshop which will be hosted by ATTTA.  Below you’ll find the outline of the course which will be segmented into 4 – two hour sessions through Zoom.  In addition to the course, Mickael Jauneau from Canoe Cove Honey will host a “grafting day” for those who attend this course to learn how to graft and perhaps do hands on grafting.  This is a great opportunity to start rearing your own queens or brush up on what you already know and then some.

Cost is $25 for PEIBA Members and $75 for non-PEIBA Members.

Dates:
Monday June 21st
Wednesday June 23rd
Monday June 28th
Wednesday June 30th

Time: 7pm to 9pm

To register for this course please contact us.  Payment will be collected later.

Space will be limited – PEIBA members will have the chance to register first.

Event Topic Brief Description Learning Outcomes
 

 

Virtual Event 1

 

Intro Info
  • Introduce the course
  • Review of challenges and advantages of rearing and implementing local queens
  • Acquainted to course and why it is relevant
Biology of Queen Production
  • Queen development from egg to mated queen
  • Drone biology
  • Queen rearing in nature
  • Learn about the biology of how queens are raised in nature and become mated
Honey Bee Genetics and Breeding
  • Queen rearing vs. queen breeding
  • Genetic variability, heritability and the expression of traits
  • Genetic organization of the hive
  • Selective breeding principles
  • Recognize the difference between queen breeding and rearing
  • Introduction to honey bee genetics and why this is essential to queen breeding
  • Introduction to breeding principles
 

 

Virtual Event 2

 

A Honey Bee Breeding Program
  • Highlight commonly selected for traits in honey bees and how to measure them in your hives
  • Assess and rank honey bee colonies for desirable traits
Cost Considerations
  • Present a study to demonstrate the cost of queen rearing: Bixby, Miriam, et al. “Honey Bee Queen Production: Canadian Costing Case Study and Profitability Analysis.”
  • Explore costs associated with the introduction of queen rearing to an existing beekeeping operation
Queen Rearing Tools and Equipment
  • Present the tools and equipment useful in queen rearing
  • Identify options for queen rearing tools and equipment
 

 

Virtual Event 3

 

Queen Cell Production
  • Methods of production: Doolittle, frame manipulation, queen confinement
  • Cell builders: starters and finishers

 

  • Be able to build a cell builder
  • Differentiate methods of queen rearing; deeper understanding of Doolittle Method
Queen Cells and Virgins
  • Queen cells
  • Introducing a queen cell
  • Be able to successfully requeen a colony using queen cells
 

 

Virtual Event 4

 

Production of Mated Queens
  • Components of mating yards and mating nucs
  • Care of mated queens
  • Timeframe for PEI
  • Learn to how to successfully mate queens using mating yards and nucs
  • Establish a framework for timing
Splits and Nucs
  • Why, when, and how to split
  • How to make up a nuc
  • Introducing a mated queen
  • Understand relationship between splits/nucs and queen rearing and how to prepare for your queens