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Importance Of Quality Queens

Importance Of Quality Queens. Clarence H. Collison Emeritus Professor/Dept. Head Mississippi State University. Workers are affected by the presence of the queen and her pheromones. Queens live 2-4 years Mate only once (7-15 drones). Requeen On A Regular Basis.

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Importance Of Quality Queens

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  1. Importance Of Quality Queens Clarence H. Collison Emeritus Professor/Dept. Head Mississippi State University

  2. Workers are affected by the presence of the queen and her pheromones.

  3. Queens live 2-4 yearsMate only once (7-15 drones)

  4. Requeen On A Regular Basis

  5. Requeen at a minimum of every two years

  6. What makes a good queen?How can you determine if you have a good queen?

  7. Beekeepers evaluate queens on basis of colony characteristics: • Brood pattern • Behavior of the queen on the combs • Temperament of workers • Production records

  8. A queen controls fertilization by regulating the release of spermatozoa from her spermatheca.

  9. Her entire supply of spermatozoa is limited to those obtained before she starts egg laying, so she must dispense them gradually.

  10. Several spermatozoa are apparently released each time a fertilized egg is laid, but the actual depletion rate is unknown.

  11. Queens (Alberta Canada) • 1-2 weeks old 9.77 million sperm • 1 year old 7.63 million sperm • 2 years old 5.57 million sperm • 3 years old 2.08 million sperm Szabo & Davis 1991

  12. Genetic FactorsPhysiological ConditionFood Quality and QuantityOvary SizeMating Success

  13. Number Of Nurse BeesBroodnest TemperatureFresh Nectar And Pollen

  14. Significant correlations have been found between egg laying rate, population size, and honey production.

  15. Several researchers have attempted to evaluate queens by relating body size or weight and other morphological characteristics with: • Egg production • Size of brood area • Total colony population • Honey production

  16. Queen Weight& Number Of Ovarioles

  17. Weight of Queen& Brood Area

  18. Brood Area&Honey Production

  19. Weight Of Queen &Honey Production

  20. Heavier queens produce more brood and honey.Best time to weigh queens is when they are 12 days old and in their mating nucs.Discard 15 to 25% of the lightest queens. Nelson and Gary 1983

  21. Heavier queens have more ovarioles/ovary and thus potentially can produce more eggs.

  22. Number of ovarioles130-186 ovarioles/ovary

  23. Queens with 300 or more ovarioles are considered to be of good quality.

  24. Dietz (1985, 1986) was able to show that queen weights are correlated with queen acceptance by workers and hence may indicate the value of a queen.

  25. Colony traits change due to different matings.Sperm clump and form layers in the spermatheca.Needs to be considered when judging a queen.

  26. Poor Queens

  27. Larval Age

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