[Boone]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a queen raising book or dvd, that covers several aspects, and goes from start to finish, and teaches well? Thanks

 

[rweakley]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a queen raising book or dvd, that covers several aspects, and goes from start to finish, and teaches well? Thanks

I'd start here with some free ones by the old time experts: http://www.bushfarms.com/beesoldbooks.htm not to mention the queen rearing sections of his website.

 

[keqwow]

I have recently come into several new copies of the queen rearing bible, Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding by Harry Laidlaw & Robert Page Jr. This is no longer in print and if you can find a copy (i.e. Amazon), it will cost you $160+. I have new, unused books available for purchase at $45 shipped. You can contact me via private message or at [email protected]

 

[Intheswamp]

Boone, from my experience with different honey bee DVDs that I got when I first started beekeeping I wouldn't bother with them...they were all disappointments. Youtube has some good videos, though.

If you can find an older copy of Laidlaw's "Queen Rearing" it is good. The newer "Contemporary Queen Rearing" I don't like as well.

Just to give a plug for grafting you might want to check out this page. It is a good write up regarding beginners and grafting. http://doorgarden.com/11/simple-honey-bee-queen-rearing-for-beginners

Here's an article by Larry Connor on small scale queen rearing showing a few different methods... http://www.wicwas.com/sites/default/files/articles/Bee_Culture/BC2006-02.pdf

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Intheswamp]

A few more "method" links:

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/queenraise.html

 

[Stephenpbird]

try these videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yN5qM2Et6w&list=PL1671p0_LLF6WJhwxRyXlKUZi6pwQFw5w
there are five all together.


Then of course there is Michael Palmers excellent presentation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7tinVIuBJ8

 

[keqwow]

B

If you can find an older copy of Laidlaw's "Queen Rearing" it is good. The newer "Contemporary Queen Rearing" I don't like as well.

That is what I am offering up here, I have sold several copies all ready and I still have several more available for purchase. These are not "copies" or reprints, these are the original book from the publisher. I recently purchased equipment from a queen rearing class that Cornell University organized and they had purchased several copies of these books as a 'textbook' for the course. I have several boxes of these books, new, unopened condition.

: I have recently come into several new copies of the queen rearing bible, Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding by Harry Laidlaw & Robert Page Jr. This is no longer in print and if you can find a copy (i.e. Amazon), it will cost you $160+. I have new, unused books available for purchase at $45 shipped. You can contact me via private message or at [email protected]

 

[Intheswamp]

No, I don't think mine and yours are the same one. Mine is Laidlaw and Eckert, University of California Press copyright 1962. I haven't had the pleasure of reading the book that you have.

Ed

 

[drlonzo]

If all else fails, read the post from Michael Palmer.. Here's a link..

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?244271-My-Cell-Building-Methods

 

[kilocharlie]

Keqwow is right on about Laidlaw & Page's Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding, which is the best. I have read all 3 books mentioned - Eckert & Laidlaw's Queen Rearing, and Harry Laidlaw, Jr.'s Contemporary Queen Rearing. All are helpful, but if I was going to get one, it would be QR&BB.

Another one, if you are into the genetics side of it is by Dr. Ernesto Guzman-Novoa. The title is Elemental Genetics and Breeding for the Honeybee. Available from Paul Kelly, the University of Guelph, Honeybee Research Centre, School of Environmental Sciences, 50 Stone Rd. East, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, NIG 2W1 ($20.00 + shipping - contact them for shipping), or through www.ontariobee.com/outreach/manuals-books-dvds ($20.95 + GST)

Also helpful are: Brother Adam's books - Beekeeping at Buckfast Abbey, Breeding the Honeybee, and In Search of the Best Strains of Bees (available through Buckfast Abbey's bookstore); Dr. Lawrence John Connor's book, Queen Rearing Essentials (available through Wicwas Press), and a neat little book titled, Introducing Genetics, by Steve Jones and Borin Van Loon, which is not about bees, but gets your genetics up to speed rather painlessly.

Other good information is in Dr. Susan W. Cobey's website, www.honeybeeinsemination.com, particularly the articles about the Cloake Board method, and the 21-page article comparison of studies regarding instrumentally inseminated queens vs. naturally-mated queens, which gives an excellent peek into proper vs. improper practices in queen rearing, queen banking, and other practices invoving queen performance. HINT: READ THOSE ARTICLES!

Tom & Suki Glenn have retired, but their website is still maintained - they produced I.I. queens for 35 years. www.glenn-apiaries.com Many, many excellent articles.

Ed - Thank you for the link to Larry Connor's Feb, 2006 article in Bee Culture. That's a good one!

 

[Intheswamp]

...and thank you for some great links!!!! I just printed out the Cloake Board articles from Cobey website for a nice, restful read.

Ed

 

[RayMarler]

OldTimer posted a very complete detailed thread in the forum here for raising queens that covers all steps with photos, very good post by him. Beesource made a resource link to a condensed version here...

http://www.beesource.com/resources/...queen-cells-without-grafting-cut-cell-method/


And the original ongoing post is here...

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249478

 

[RudyT]

thanks to all for the helpful references!

 

[CtyAcres]

I'll second that Ray. Oldtimer did an excellent job of explaining Jay Smith's style of rearing Quality Queens from
the egg, which I feel is far superior to grafting.

 

[kilocharlie]

FWIW, a Jenter Box is an excellent setup, too. I saw them available in Blue Sky Bee Supply for about $85 + shipping, I think. I don't know of any books, though, so ask Michael Bush. I think it is one of his favorite methods, and as a non-grafting method, it has the potential of producing excellent queens.

And Ed - Be sure to get the Comparison article. I learned a hello of a lot from that one. Also, I just printed Larry's 2006 article from Bee Culture. Thanks again!

 

[Intheswamp]

Yep, got both articles. I modded a woodbound queen excluder a while back that I'm going to try using as a cloake board. I don't think it will work as an upper entrance but I've got a shim I can use for that...or either just prop the top cover up.

Now if this weather will dry out a little so I can get my honey off the hives. :waiting:

Here's a good article by Dana Stahlman in conjunction with the Ohio State Beekeepers Assc.. It covers the Miller, Jenter, and Doolittle methods of queen production, but it also does a good job of covering other aspects of queen rearing that would also apply to most all methods. Seems like a good article to give the beginner the basics... http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/wp-content/pdf/books/Queen_Manual.pdf

Ed

 

[keqwow]

I've still got plenty of Laidlaw & Page's Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding available for purchase.

 

[johns bees]

Boone look for a book by Laurence Connor titled Essential Queen rearing very good book for the person trying to rear queens . I got my copy for 16.00 dollars on amazon
Johns Bees