Class Description
Next Class: TBD
Why not rear your own queens? The University of Minnesota Queen Rearing short course teaches one method of rearing queens that works consistently for both hobby and commercial beekeepers. Topics covered include queen and drone biology, timing of queen rearing in northern climates, stock selection and breeding for hygienic behavior, setting up mating yards, and record keeping. Everyone will have a chance to try their hand at grafting larvae and raising their own queens. A unique feature of the course is the section on queen rearing equipment designs that will allow you to build your own!
This course is for anyone interested in learning how to raise queens who has at least two years of beekeeping experience.
The cost for the 2 1/2 day course is $350.00 which includes our Successful Queen Rearing Manual, lunch, and refreshments.
Learn about
- Introduction to queen rearing
- Biology of queens
- Equipment
- Record keeping
- Choosing breeder stock
- Drones
- Commercial queen production
- Preparing a finishing colony
- Preparing a swarm box
- Grafting (hands-on)
- Procedure from egg to queen
- Queen mating
- Marking queens
- Breeding for hygienic behavior
Agenda
| Friday | Event |
|---|---|
| Saturday; (note: bring your own veil and other protective gear!) | Event |
| Sunday (note: bring your own veil and other protective gear!) | Event |
| 8:30 | Registration |
| 9:00 | Class |
| 12:00 | Lunch (provided) |
| 1:00 | Class |
| 5:00 | Adjourn |
| 8:30 | Hive Manipulations and Grafting (Indoor, practice run) |
| 12:00 | Lunch (on your own) |
| 1:15 | Hive Manipulations and Grafting (Outdoor, real thing) |
| 4:30 | Adjourn |
| 9:00 | Taking Grafting Cells out of Swarm Box and Placing in Finishing Colony |
| 10:30 | Adjourn |
Instructors
- Marla Spivak, Professor, Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota
- Gary Reuter, Bee Lab Coordinator, Extension, University of Minnesota
- Katie Lee, Apiculture Extension Educator, University of Minnesota
- Nelson Williams, Apiary Manager, Honey Bee Lab, University of Minnesota
