[Beeslave]

You can raise queens anytime. You just need flying weather and a good drone population for those queens to get mated properly.

 

[Joseph Clemens]

I raise queens twelve months of the year.

 

[jmgi]

I raise queens twelve months of the year.

That's not fair Joe!

 

[Mrmizilplix]

How can you raise queens all year? I thought it was more
of a springtime thing?

 

[rrussell6870]

Depends on your climate... Most of our fall and winters are equal to the spring and parts of summer in the northern states and the mid west. It's not really about the time of the year...Its more dependant on the temp and weather. A good hive will draw cells for you not matter what... the trick is keeping all those mating nuks fed and alive and making sure that the fresh queens can mate and lay enough brood to keep those nuks going inbetween rainy/colder days.

 

[Joseph Clemens]

Some of what rrussell6870, said, about climate and such. Here in Tucson, Arizona, as long as I feed a little syrup and some pollen substitute, as necessary - it keeps the bees working like it is Spring. So, as long as I have drones and nice sunny days (which we almost always have in abundance), and the bees have incoming nectar (sugar syrup) and pollen or pollen substitute, I can keep raising queens.

I had been wondering if it were possible, and the 2009/2010 season was the first time I tried it. It worked just fine, so I plan to continue the practice.

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[mythomane]

I read somewhere that the queens around here do not mate well this time of year due to the heat (103+ here in Dallas.) Can someone educate me a little more about this?