Queen rearing is an important thing in beekeeping. While there are several methods available, I will highlight two effective methods that beekeepers have found to work well.

Method 1: Splitting a Colony to Produce Queen Cells

This method involves splitting a strong colony to rear queen cells. 

1. Select a queen with desirable genetics to serve as the “breeder queen.”

2. In the spring, when the brood box is nearly full, add a second brood box to allow the queen access to both boxes. Move at least one frame of brood from the original box to the middle of the new second box, replacing it below with an empty comb or foundation. This stimulates the queen to lay eggs in both boxes. Multi-sweet professional queen box is suitable this methods. The Queen Bee Box serves as a mating box and is designed to facilitate the controlled cultivation of bee colonies. It features a slope design that prevents sugar water retention in the middle, ensuring a clean and hygienic environment for the bees. The embedded beehive entrances at the front and rear ends of the beehive base allow beekeepers to have control over access as needed. The 3.8L feeder capacity minimizes the need for frequent sugar water refills, while the hills inside prevent bees from drowning. Additionally, by inserting a PVC foam partition or wooden board into the middle slot, two bee colonies can be cultivated simultaneously.

3. Feed the bees steadily until they draw out the foundation into the comb. Once both boxes are nearly filled with bees, they are ready for queen cell rearing.

4. Move one brood box to a new site in the apiary and place a spare floor, crown board, and roof on top.

5. Find the queen and place her in a box at the new site.

6. The brood box at the old site should be “queenless,” containing frames with eggs or very young larvae. Many bees from the new site will return to the old site, which should also be fed with syrup. It’s beneficial to have one or two combs of foundation left to draw out.

7. The queenless Hive 1, still well populated and well fed, will proceed to rear queen cells on combs with eggs or very young larvae.

8. Hive 2 will remain queen right, have sufficient stores (feed if necessary), and be depleted of flying bees, making it a viable unit.

9. After seven days, the sealed queen cells can be utilized as desired. For example, Hive 1 can be split into 2, 3, or 4 nucs, ensuring each nuc has at least one sealed queen cell, some brood, and stores. Alternatively, the cells can be harvested and placed in an incubator or transferred to nucs, mininucs, or mini+nucs.

Method 2: Queen Rearing Method without Grafting

This method eliminates the need to find the queen or graft larvae. If no queen cells are raised, the colony remains queenright, and you can try again. 

1. Prepare two nuc boxes using combs from the brood box and a drawn comb. Ensure the combs from the brood box are free of bees to prevent accidentally moving the queen above the queen excluder.

2. If there aren’t enough drawn combs available, place frames of foundation in the boxes and wait for the bees to draw them out.

3. The cell-raising nuc should have at least one frame of sealed brood, two frames of stores with ample pollen, and a frame of open brood containing eggs. Place the open brood and eggs next to the frames of pollen stores.

4. Use a strip of wood or two half-sized framed excluders to prevent bees from moving between the bottom of the nuc boxes.

5. Allow an hour for nurse bees to move up and attend to the open brood, then place a sheet of heavy gauge plastic under the cell-raising nuc box and add a super on top. Multi-sweet No Graft Queen Rearing Kit contains everything tools that Queen Rearing Method without Grafting needs. Contact us to know more.

6. Check after 10 days for queen cells. If present, gently move the nuc away, ensuring an adequate number of bees remain.

7. If multiple queen cells are present and you have other colonies to supply frames of sealed brood and stores, create additional nucs. Alternatively, you can offer spare cells to nearby beekeepers.

8. Replace the cell raiser nuc with another nuc box containing a frame of eggs, two frames of stores, and a frame of sealed brood, and repeat the process.

9. You can continue this process every 10 days as long as there is nectar flow.

Both of these methods have proven successful for beekeepers. Carefully consider colony health, provide adequate feeding, and select strong colonies for the best results in queen rearing.

If you’re interested in learning more or have any inquiries about the best method of queen rearing, feel free to contact me. I’m an expert in beekeeping, and I’d be happy to assist you.