A lecture given by Kirsten Traynor at the 2021 National Honey Show entitled "Queen Rearing: A comparison of queen rearing techniques". The National Honey Show gratefully acknowledge the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers for their support and Mr. R.Blaxland for their sponsorship.
When I started out in beekeeping, I was told that you don't rear queens, you buy them. But there is nothing more satisfying than rearing your own. Whether you want to rear just a handful for your own use or a few hundred for sale, the same basics are required: Good genetic material, strong colonies, and a way of rearing cells to completion. The pluses and drawbacks of different queens rearing methods will be discussed.
Dr. Kirsten S. Traynor investigates honey bee health and how pesticides impact social behaviour. She is the Director of the Institute of Bee Science in Celle, Germany. In 2020, she launched a new quarterly magazine 2 Million Blossoms: protect our pollinators. Originally an English major, Kirsten won her first hive in a raffle right after college graduation. These fascinating insects led to a globe-trotting adventure, a PhD in biology, and a new appreciation for the interconnectedness of our planet. But she never lost her desire to write and now combines her skills in science communication. She is the author of Two Million Blossoms: Discovering the Medicinal Benefits of Honey and Simple, Smart Beekeeping.