Choosing the best colonies as larvae donors
The right identification of colonies from which to take larvae for the breeding of new queens is very important for the mass selection of the queens themselves and for trying to fix and improve desired genetic traits. The evaluation must be carried out over several years, also assessing the characteristics of the daughter queens. The most important features for which selection should be carried out are listed below:
- Productivity. Productivity for honey, pollen, royal jelly or propolis can be chosen, depending on our production goal.
- Aggressiveness. The least aggressive colonies are usually preferred.
- Swarming tendency. Colonies that tend to swarm less or have a shorter swarming period are usually preferred.
- Wintering and spring recovery. Colonies that show better wintering, lower winter stock consumption and quicker spring recovery are favoured.
- Hygienic behaviour. Colonies showing better hygienic behaviour are chosen by performing the pin-test. All the brood that has hatched on a small area should be destroyed by pricking it with a pin and the number of dead pupae removed by the worker bees should be counted. The more dead pupae are removed, the better the hygienic behaviour, which ensures less susceptibility to brood diseases.
Warnings: May depend on the regulations in force in the given country.
Please check out the B-THENET Platform for the Best Beekeeping Practices tailored to each country, co-developed with practicing beekeepers in the National B-THENET Centres of those countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden).
BEST PRACTICES AND INNOVATIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE BEEKEEPING
Ongoing | 2022-2026
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden