[James R]

I'm a third year beek ready to do some splits. My question is that is it ok to purchase breeder queens if I'm willing to pay the price to do a couple splits? Assuming that I may start queen rearing next year or the following year. My assumption is that the breeder queens will make good production queens. Or, am I asking for problems in that they may be more apt to swarm and supercede? I know for the price I could buy production queens a heck of a lot cheaper but my thoughts are at this stage of my operation I could introduce some good stock early on for later queen production if I choose and have the best of both worlds in between.

James R.

 

[James R]

OK. Thanks all for the responeses. I am fairley new to all this and just had not researched queen rearing that much. Then I happened along Glenn's website and it raised an eyebrow. I guess back to one of my original questions. I assume a breeder queen will be ok for a production queen?

Second would be that it can't hurt to have good stock in your original few hives. That way when they swarm the genitecs would be there in the worker bee's if the need to requeen is there.

I realize all this this would come at a cost and not be very frugal down the road in a large operation. But then again what has not came at a price for a beginner thus far and who who knows for how long. It's addicting for sure.

James R.

 

[James R]

Thanks Adam. You came closer to answering my original question then anyone else. Again to be honest I have been hobby beek for 3 years trying to learn as much as I can and not even came across the the fact that there are breeder queens and production queens. When I did it raised the question that if I decide to try queen rearing in the next year or 2 would it be ok to use a couple of breeders as production until time to put out to pasture so to speak. Realizing the risk of swarming or any of number of things that can happen to the queen. It seems they would introduce good genetics to a beginning apiarey particularly in a emergency or supercede situation. Although I realize not practical for annual queen replacement program.

James R.