Queen Rearing and the Use of Queens

Introduction
These notes provide a basic introduction to reproductive biology of honey
bees, a general review of the methods that have been used to raise queens and
a few practical tips on queen raising. An informed and wide-ranging review
of the general biology of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, is provided by Winston
(1987).
Queen raising is an absorbing pastime: it is certainly time absorbing. Its
success depends on selection of good disease free stock, simulation of the
conditions under which queens are raised naturally, a little background
reading and a good deal of enthusiasm. Queen breeding on the other hand is
a specialist’s job. It requires the resources of artificial insemination, prime
stock, large apiaries, considerable expertise and inventive minds.Queen Rearing and the Use of Queens